You don't have Sirius. How could you possibly know?
And as far as I know, he's very happy with his situation. He got his archived tapes back and he's able to say and do what he wants . . . Why would he leave?
The radio industry has been abuzz as media reports hinted that Howard Stern considered going back to free, censored radio.
Scuttlebutt suggested that the blue-talk maestro was weighing a syndication deal that would keep his current gig at Sirius Satellite Radio (nasdaq: SIRI - news - people ), while allowing for a clean (i.e., heavily bleeped) version of his show to be aired on nonpay radio.
The logic behind the rumor: When he worked for old-Viacom (nyse: VIA - news - people ) unit Infinity Broadcasting, Stern had been undisputed master of the traditional radio domain. His egoistic self-description as the "king of all media" was hard to deny: instantly recognizable beyond his devoted fan base, he'd leveraged his talk show into several autobiographical books and a movie, Private Parts. Not to mention ranking No. 7 on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list.
But in his current gig on Sirius, Stern's fame has experienced significant shrinkage.
The numbers of his faithful fans signing up for Sirius service have dwindled from the enthusiastic tsunami that followed his initial jump, in January of this year, to a mere trickle -- narrowing but not quite closing the subscriber gap with market dominator XM Satellite Radio (nasdaq: XMSR - news - people ). At last count, XM boasted 6.9 million subscribers to Sirius' 4.7 million.
And if Sirius and its Chief Executive Mel Karmazin are upset with the subscriber slowdown, Stern must be in a tizzy: Greta Garbo may have "vanted to be alone," but 21st century celebrities require attention. Reports say Stern's guest bookings are drying up, and visits to the one-time media king's Web site are few and far between.
The most likely bidder for Stern's censored services: Farid Suleman, CEO of Citadel Broadcasting (nyse: CDL - news - people ). Suleman, who worked with both Stern and Karmazin at Infinity, engineered a pact to buy the Walt Disney Co.'s (nyse: DIS - news - people ) languishing ABC Radio. ABC could certainly use a boost like Stern. And Suleman has experience: Citadel carries a clean version of XM's rambunctious Opie and Anthony Show. The duo and XM inked a syndication deal that let them whip up marketing buzz via free broadcasts, with the idea that they would then draw in subscribers who would want the spicier satellite version.
But Stern, who long accused Opie and Anthony of aping his routine, had vowed never to return to free radio. Late on Tuesday, Stern reiterated his disgust for nonpay broadcasting -- in terms certain to infuriate his rivals.
"I don't do 'Opie & Anthony,'" Stern declared on his Sirius show. "'Opie & Anthony' do me."
Patrick Reilly, a Sirius spokesman, said, "There has never been any discussion of Howard Stern in any way, shape or form being anything but exclusive to Sirius. ...Published reports suggesting otherwise are wrong."
Suleman has also denied any such Stern syndication talks have taken place. But industry observers won't be shocked if the jock resurfaces on FM.
Sirius stock was up 3.6%, or 14 cents, to $4 on Wednesday afternoon. That may be a reaction to the Sirius denial that Stern would be found anywhere else, or it may reflect the broadcaster's deal to create a new channel with New York's Metropolitan Opera. In any case, it has certainly got high and low culture covered.
You don't have Sirius. How could you possibly know?
And as far as I know, he's very happy with his situation. He got his archived tapes back and he's able to say and do what he wants . . . Why would he leave?
because all he did was whine the last 6 months he was on regular radio, and now he's mad at his fans because not as many of them followed him to sat. radio.....
^^^he didn't expect that many to follow. If you listened that's what happened. He did whine a lot, I'll give you that, but he's not mad because his fans didn't follow. He understood the consequences. He has better piece of mind now that he can speak his mind freely.
Dude: after reading the article I see now that's its all speculative. He hasn't said it on his show that he would return to regular terrestial radio whatsoever. But it wouldn't surprise me if someone negotiated a censored version to be released on terrestial radio while he is at Sirius. He's always been a very good businessman.
I wish Stern would come back to free radio. Everything else on the radio here in the mornings sucks!! Tony Bruno is such a Philly homer that it is disgusting. All he talks about is the Iggles and Phillies. BLEH!!! This MFer is on the radio in L.A. and all he does is talk about Philly. BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! Come back Howard!!
Terrestial radio does suck. That's why you shoudl get Sirius
I hate morning radio in particular. I loathe Kevin and Bean on KROQ Despise the crew on 98.7 and 95.5; , Power 106 is lame too. The only few I can tolerate in the morning are Steve Harvey (he's back) and the dude from Indie 103.1 (don't know his name, don't care, he doesn't talk much). NPR is cool once they stop talking and play music with morning becomes eclectic.
I'll never go back to regular radio. Not because I have to pay for this service but shit, it's awesome...Awesome for the sports fan, for the music fan, comedy fan, etc etc...so many options.
The San Diego morning drive on FM sucks...big time.
I wish Stern would come back to free radio. Everything else on the radio here in the mornings sucks!! Tony Bruno is such a Philly homer that it is disgusting. All he talks about is the Iggles and Phillies. BLEH!!! This MFer is on the radio in L.A. and all he does is talk about Philly. BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! Come back Howard!!
yeah man you gotta go sat. reg. radio sucks ass_ commercial, commercial, oh another_
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got no smile and lack a lavish lifestyle but its cool cuz I came up hungry, jus a lil Latino tryin to make it and when I make it.. I promise the world wont lightly take it.
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howard stern leaving sirius?
on KROQ Despise the crew on 98.7 and 95.5; , Power 106 is lame too. The only few I can tolerate in the morning are Steve Harvey (he's back) and the dude from Indie 103.1 (don't know his name, don't care, he doesn't talk much). NPR is cool once they stop talking and play music with morning becomes eclectic.
