Newsletter publisher Sid Cato, in his 15th annual Producer Poll, said salaries year to year are off 7.5 percent—to a still-substantial $80,000-$95,000 (a $15,000 range).

Cato said he was "disheartened" none of this year's respondents said he or she reports to the CEO on the project. Cato said "That marks a steady decline over the 15 years—from one in five (20 percent) to the current low ebb." He advocates that CEOs be actively involved in preparation of the key corporate communiqué.

"That aside," he said, "more than half the CEOs are said to play an active role in preparation of their letter to shareholders—56 percent, essentially flat with 57 percent three years prior."

His Producer Poll also showed print runs were "lowest in nearly a decade," the per-copy investment averaging $3.84, "a dollar more than among 1993 reports" and 16 percent more than the year-earlier $3.32 per copy.