Starz CEO Jeff Hirsch 2025 Pay Package Hits $6.7 Million Amid Lionsgate Separation

Starz CEO Jeff Hirsch secured a $6.75 million compensation package for the 2025 fiscal year, a period defined by the high-stakes corporate separation of the premium cable network from its former parent, Lionsgate Studios. The pay structure, detailed in a recent SEC proxy filing, comprised a $1.16 million base salary, $2.53 million in stock awards, and a substantial $2.95 million in incentive plan compensation. This total package arrives as Starz navigates its first full year as an independent, publicly traded entity, placing executive performance and shareholder alignment under intense scrutiny.

The compensation breakdown signals the board's focus on retention and performance during a critical transition. The significant $2.95 million incentive component, tied to specific corporate and individual goals, underscores the pressure on Hirsch to deliver strategic results post-split. This move separates Starz's fate from the broader Lionsgate studio and production machinery, forcing it to prove its standalone value in a fiercely competitive streaming and linear television landscape.

The disclosed pay package immediately invites analysis from investors and governance watchdogs. It sets a benchmark for executive rewards at the newly independent company and raises questions about the metrics used to justify the incentive payout. As Starz contends with subscriber challenges and content investment pressures, Hirsch's compensation will be a persistent point of reference for measuring leadership success against the company's financial performance and stock price trajectory in the coming year.