The Receipts is a weekly franchise from ESSENCE highlighting Black women and their major money moves. Some of these women you know, while some you may not. Let their glow-up guide you!
It’s all about receipts when it’s time to show and prove to your company that you are worth your raise. Getting the raise you deserve is all about showcasing your work and its impact on your company. Last week it was reported that Gayle King is up for a massive payday as reports reveal that she is close to signing a multi-million dollar contract extension with CBS News. According to reports, King currently makes $5.5 million a year as an anchor on CBS This Morning while her counterpart Robin Roberts of ABC’s Good Morning America is rumored to have a salary close to $18 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
As King negotiates her way to equal pay, here are our five reasons she deserves her multimillion dollar deal:
She maintains a level head during intense situations
CBS This Morning
Surely you’ve seen the image: King sitting cross-legged, staring ahead like a mother about to discipline her child, while an emotional R. Kelly towers over her. Even in the face of R. Kelly’s erratic behavior, King will not be moved. The award-winning journalist did not bat an eye or flinch during, possibly, the most talked about interview of 2019. As she expertly asked the singer difficult questions surrounding sexual abuse allegations, professionalism was focus. “If I stood up even to comfort him, that could have been his invitation to say ‘This is over.’ So I didn’t interrupt his anger and let him have that,” she said when asked about what she was thinking.
2020 presidential candidates want to sit down with her
Image Courtesy of CBS News
She was the first person to interview former Texas representative, Beto O’Rourke, after his announcement to run for president of the United States. O’Rourke is the fourteenth candidate to seek the Democratic nomination, and his popularity during his gubernatorial run made this interview one to watch. King has even enjoyed a vegan dinner date with Senator Cory Booker, another presidential candidate.
She’s fearless when dealing with difficult conversations
“Be consistent. I’ve always hated exercising — and to tell you the truth, still do — but I know the benefits, not only for your health but the way you look and feel. So, figure out a way to incorporate it into a regular routine (at least 3 or 4 times a week). Cardio and weight training have become a crucial part of my life; I recommend the same for you.”
R.Kelly is not the only interview where she navigates through discussions on race and sexual abuse. Despite the criticism, she takes on the challenging interviews even if it’s about some of our favorite public figures. The journalist had the first TV interview with Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam after his Blackface yearbook scandal. She even sat day with the Jackson family to discuss the most recent sexual abuse allegations about the deceased pop icon, Michael Jackson addressed in HBO’s Leaving Neverland documentary.
Our forever First Lady (and her mother) loves her
Not many people can say they interviewed Michelle Obama and her mother together, but King can say she did. Right after the Becoming book release, King had a sit down with the mother-daughter duo about life in the White House. Now Obama is calling on King to help moderate a conversation during her Atlanta tour stop at the State Farm Arena this spring.
She masters two high-profile jobs at once
Gayle King came to slay as she attended Rihanna's 2018 Diamond Ball in NYC.
Some organizations may not love sharing their most talented employees with another company, but when it comes to King’s roles at CBS This Morning and O! The Oprah Magazine they both work in tandem. There’s no better benefit than having an employee who shines in two facets of media. It means more SEO-friendly content for both brands.