'I'm a victim of sexism', says £7.5 million a year U.S. news anchor Katie Couric

The world's highest paid TV news anchor has said she is a victim of sexism  -  despite a salary more than double that of her male rivals.

Katie Couric, 51, is paid £7.5million a year to present the CBS evening news in the U.S.  -  but is behind her rivals in the ratings.

She has been hit by a storm of criticism for suggesting she and failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were victims of sexism.

'I find myself in the last bastion of male dominance, and realising what Hillary Clinton might have realised not long ago,' she told an Israeli newspaper while covering Barack Obama's Middle East tour.

'Sexism in American society is more common than racism and certainly more acceptable or forgivable.'

Critics said it was 'ludicrous' to compare her struggle to be taken seriously as a newscaster to racism.

Miss Couric, who has a £37.5million five-year contract with CBS, attracts an average 5.53million viewers a night to her 6.30pm news programme.

By contrast, Brian Williams, who anchors NBC's top-rated Nightly News with 7.23million viewers, is paid £2million a year.

ABC's World News  -  with 7.21million viewers  -  hired Charles Gibson two years ago for £3.5million a year.

Cherie Blair's first American TV interview was conducted by Katie Couric

Britain's highest paid news anchors are ITN's Trevor McDonald and Channel Five's Natasha Kaplinsky, who are both believed to earn about £1million a year.

U.S. media watchdog Tom Rosenstiel said there were professions, such as the fire service, military and police, where women really do have a rough time with sexism.

Katie Couric, seen here shortly after signing her five-year contract with CBS, was America's first solo female news anchor

'I can imagine many, many other jobs that could be a heck of a lot tougher than hers,' he said. 'I suspect she may be fairly well compensated for what she does and the last time I looked the most important and often highest paid people in that profession are anchorwomen.'

A member of the production team behind Miss Couric's show said: 'I get a lot, lot less than her and if she thinks she's a victim of discrimination, then I'd like to be one too.'

Last night widowed Miss Couric, the mother of two teenage daughters, appeared to backtrack from her comments.

Her spokesman said something appeared to have been 'lost in translation' during the Israeli interview.

'Katie wouldn't, and didn't, say sexism is more prevalent than racism,' he said. 'Her point was sexism seems more tolerated than racism.'

Miss Couric became the first solo female news anchor on U.S. national television almost two years ago.

<Media watchers questioned whether she had the gravitas to carry off serious news coverage after 15 years as the perky cohost of NBC's breakfast show.

After an initial ratings boost she dropped back into third place.

She has been dogged by rumours ever since that she will be replaced.

* Figures released yesterday show that Will Smith is the world's highest earning actor, taking home £40million last year. The highest paid female actor was Cameron Diaz, who banked £25million.