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Howard Stern has been known to describe himself as “the king of all media.”
But the broadcasting legend may soon be parting ways with the medium that made him famous — and not on his own terms.
Stern’s contract with SiriusXM is set to expire in December, and insiders say the two sides are not even close to reaching a deal.
And the host might struggle to find a home elsewhere, as his audience has reportedly shrunk from millions of listeners to a mere 125,000 per episode.
Howard Stern delays return amid speculation about show’s future
Stern was originally slated to return to the airwaves on Tuesday, September 2, following a summer hiatus.
The shock jock and his team promised viewers a big announcement, and it was widely assumed that he would finally speak out on the future of his show.
But now, the announcement has been pushed back until Monday, September 8.
“The tabloids have spoken: Howard Stern fired, canceled, is it really ‘Bye-Bye Booey’? Chaos is swirling at The Howard Stern Show,” said a narrator in a promo that ran on SiriusXM last week.
“Did staffers talk to the press? Are writers withholding their best jokes? Nobody knows what’s going on or who to trust. Now we can reveal all the questions will be answered, all the truths will be told by the one man truly on the inside. Howard Stern will speak Tuesday, September 2.”
“Howard Stern will now speak Monday, September 8,” reads a new social media statement that also urges listeners to “stay tuned.”
The statement comes on the heels of reports that Stern’s audience has “fallen from 20 million daily listeners to about 125,000.”
That figure comes from conservative commentator and longtime Stern critic Mike Cernovich, but Web Pro News says it’s been “corroborated by multiple outlets.”
Did Stern’s politics alienate his fan base?
Industry insider Mark Simone tweeted that Stern’s “sharp turn to the left” has made him “not worth the huge salary anymore,” explaining:
“He lost millions because he stopped being funny and started preaching.”
Stern’s delayed return to the airwaves could be an indication that negotiations are ongoing.
Or it could mean that he’s decided to hold off on announcing that he and Sirius are going their separate ways.
Stern has made a lot of enemies over the years, and we’re sure some of his favorite targets are hoping that the 71-year-old will hang up his headphones for good.
We’ll keep you updated on this developing story as new information becomes available.
