The Top 10 Highest-Paid CEOs Led by CBS' Leslie Moonves

May 22, 2013— -- intro:

Leslie Moonves, who was paid $60 million, is the highest-paid CEO of S&P 500 companies with chief executives who have served at least two full years.

Equilar, an executive compensation data firm, released its annual data with the Associated Press, putting Moonves at the top of the list for fiscal year 2012, despite having a pay drop from the $68 million he was paid the previous year.

Last year, David Simon, chairman and CEO of Simon Property Group, was at the top with $137 million after he received a large stock award accumulated over several years.

As part of Equilar's methodology, the company looked at proxies of companies that were filed Jan. 1 to April 30 of this year. Larry Ellison of Oracle is not on Equilar's list because the tech company files its proxy statement in September. He is paid about $96 million, which would place him at the top of the list.

Aaron Boyd, Equilar's director of governance research, said the 10 highest-paid CEOs are well-known names.

"It's hard to say there are surprises when you look at the highest-paid list, as the economy continues to improve and stock market is still growing," he said.

Notably, leaders of four media companies make the top 10 list. Robert Iger, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, parent of ABC News, is number three in the list.

Here's a list of the 10 highest-paid CEOS for fiscal year 2012, according to Equilar.

quicklist:1category: 2012 Total compensation: $60,253,647 title: Leslie Moonves, president and CEO, CBSmedia: 19195210 text: Base salary: $3.5 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $68,422,211

quicklist:2category: 2012 Total compensation: $49,932,867 title: David M. Zaslav, president and CEO, Discovery Communicationsmedia: 19195016text: Base salary: $3 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $52,404,119

quicklist:3category: 2012 Total compensation: $37,103,208 title: Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO, Walt Disney media: 14958862text: Base salary: $2.5 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $31,363,013

quicklist:4category: 2012 Total compensation: $33,396,104 title: Philippe P. Dauman, president and CEO, Viacom media: 19195184text: Base salary: $3.5 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $43,077,942

quicklist:5category: 2012 Total compensation: $29,705,081 title: John J. Donahoe, president and CEO, eBaymedia: 19194984 text: Base salary: $970,353. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $16,456,528

quicklist:6category: 2012 Total compensation: $29,124,014 title: Brian L. Roberts, chairman, president and CEO, Comcastmedia: 19194974 text: Base salary: $2.8 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $26,934,077

quicklist:7category: 2012 Total compensation: $28,909,773 title: Howard Schultz, chairman, president and CEO, Starbucksmedia: 19195036text: Base salary: $1.5 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $16,079,480

quicklist:8category: 2012 Total compensation: $28,012,789 title: Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and CEO, American Expressmedia: 19195171text: Base salary: $2 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $22,490,401

quicklist:9 category: 2012 Total compensation: $27,229,300 title: Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobilmedia: 19194961text: Base salary: $2.6 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $25,165,105

quicklist:10category: 2012 Total compensation: $26,799,121 title: Kent J. Thiry, co-chairman and CEO, DaVita HealthCare Partnersmedia: 19195048text: Base salary: $1.05 million. Fiscal year 2011 total compensation: $17,541,645