ABC managing director Mark Scott has apologised to his staff and vowed to track down how The Australian obtained confidential payroll details involving dozens of journalists.
A salary document detailing the annual pay of the public broadcaster's top employees was published in the News Corp Australia newspaper on Wednesday, revealing Lateline host Tony Jones is the highest-paid presenter on $355,789 a year.
But Mr Scott said some of the information is "clearly wrong" and other parts are out of date in an email sent to all staff.
"First and foremost, I want to apologise that information like this has not been securely managed," he said in the email.
"Staff are entitled to be concerned and upset. I have asked for a full and complete investigation about how this highly confidential material was accessed."
The documents show 7.30 presenter Leigh Sales is paid less than Mr Jones, earning $280,400 a year, while Insiders presenter Barrie Cassidy earns $243,478.
Presenter Waleed Aly is paid $187,500 and former political editor Chris Uhlmann earns $255,400 a year, according to the documents.
ABC Melbourne Radio presenter Jon Faine was reported to earn $285,249 in the leaked documents, but he revealed on his radio show he just signed a new contract worth $300,000.
Dozens of other staff members are named in the document, along with their salary levels.
A Senate estimates hearing found several years ago that it wasn't in the public interest to release the ABC's payroll information.
Mr Scott, who earns a base salary of $628,940 according to the documents, stressed how ABC staff are not overpaid compared with its commercial competitors.
Seven West Media chief executive Tim Worner earns $2.6 million a year, plus bonuses, while the Nine Network's David Gyngell is reported to be the country's highest-paid media executive, earning a $10 million remuneration package.
Michael Tull, president of Community and Public Sector Union which represents ABC staff, says the payroll leak was an invasion of privacy.
"This is dressed up as a public interest story but is nothing more than a commercially-motivated attack on the ABC," he said.
A News Corp Australia spokesman defended the article.
"The ABC is a publicly funded organisation. The news story in The Australian today is in the public interest," he said.
