Howard Stern’s iconic radio show is set to be axed after a two-decade run with the broadcaster SiriusXM, according to a new report.
The shock jock’s contract with the digital radio giant is up for renewal soon, and SiriusXM doesn’t expect he’ll take them up on a new offer, sources told British tabloid The Sun.
The Howard Stern Show experienced a surge in popularity after it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from 1986 to 2005.
Stern, known for his direct and controversial persona, has interviewed dozens of A-list celebrities and even former Vice President Kamala Harris, a month before voters headed to the polls in November 2024.
In recent years, he has been openly critical of President Trump, saying he “hated Trump voters,” and branded them as stupid – an opinion that Trump retaliated to by saying that Stern “went woke” and lost listeners as a result.
Stern’s contract is up in the fall, and while Sirius is planning to make him an offer, they don’t intend for him to take it, an insider told The Sun.
“Sirius and Stern are never going to meet on the money he is going to want. It’s no longer worth the investment,” the person added.
Stern is unlikely to continue his contract with SiriusXM, insider sources say (Getty Images)
In 2004, Stern became one of the highest-paid radio figures in the U.S. after signing a five-year deal with SiriusXM worth $500 million.
The insider claims that SiriusXM was not going to be able to keep up with paying Stern his salary.
“But as far as him coming back to doing the show, there’s no way they can keep paying his salary,” the source said.
“After you saw what happened with Stephen Colbert, it’s like they just can’t afford to keep him going.”
Another Sun source said Stern’s political views were not working in his favor.
“If Sirius isn’t going to give Stern a good offer, I don’t think it would have anything to do with his ratings,” the source claimed. “It’s more likely everything to do with the political climate.”
Stephen Colbert’s The Late show – the most-watched late-night program on US broadcast television and a frequent platform of satire aimed at Donald Trump – will end next year and won’t be replaced (CBS)
CBS recently announced that Colbert’s The Late Show was set to be scrapped because of “a financial decision,” however, many speculated that the move came because of the host’s frequent satirical blows to Trump.
Stern joined SiriusXM at age 50 in response to “censorship” efforts during his time at Viacom by the Federal Communications Commission, which does not regulate the content of satellite programs.
The FCC had been fining Stern’s station for over a decade.
Stern became the most fined radio host between 1990 and 2004, after the FCC issued fines totaling $2.5 million to radio licensees for airing material it considered to be indecent from his show, the highest amount of any American radio show.
During his time as a judge on the talent TV series America’s Got Talent from 2012 to 2015, his appointment was criticized by The Parents Television Council, the watchdog group that bemoans any suggestion of sex or profanity on TV, for his “reputation for sleaze and misogyny.”
The Independent contacted Stern’s representatives and SiriusXM for comment.
