Stern to Join Sirius Satellite Radio

10 minutes ago Top Stories - AP



NEW YORK - Top-ranked shock jock Howard Stern says he is leaving Infinity Broadcasting Corp. to join Sirius satellite radio, beginning in January 2006, where he'll get the national audience he has coveted.

Stern announced Wednesday that he has signed a five-year, multimillion dollar contract with Sirius, a national distributor of commericial-free music and sport programming. Stern will be heard in every market across the country, according to a joint statement from Stern and Sirius.


Stern's show corners the radio market among males 18-49 years of age and ranks No. 1 in many of the 46 major markets where his show is broadcast.


"It has been my dream to have the top-rated show in radio since I was five years old," Stern said in a statement. "Sirius — the future of radio _will take this dream to a whole new level as I bring my fans my show my way. It will be the best radio they will ever hear."


Sirius CEO Joseph P. Clayton said, "Signing Howard Stern is, without a doubt, the most exciting and transformational event in the history of radio.


"He is an entertainment force of unprecedented recognition and popularity in the broadcast world, who is capable of changing the face of satellite radio and generating huge numbers of subscribers for Sirius."


A call to Infinity for comment was not immediately returned.


Sirius said Stern will be heard in every market across the country.


Stern has fought to keep his show on the air in some conventional markets.


Earlier this year, Clear Channel Communications dropped Stern from the six markets, including San Diego and Pittsburgh, after complaints from federal regulators. Stern's show often features sexually explicit remarks and off-color humor. In June, Stern announced his show would go on the air in nine new markets owned by Infinity, including four where Clear Channel stations dropped it.


Sirius reaches more than 10 million DISH Network satellite TV and Sirius Satellite Radio subscribers nationwide, providing listeners with over 120 channels of commercial-free music, sports, information and entertainment.


Infinity, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc., has about 185 stations in 40 U.S. markets, according to Hoovers.com.

I think this will be a disaster because while Sirius reaches 10,000,000 people most of them are at home on their Dish. Most people listen to morning shows in their cars and at their job and I just don't think Satellite Radio has caught on big enough yet. I personally don't know one single person who has it.

lovemachine said:

With $500 my friend bought an in-car set-up with a boom box and his monthly charges are $10. I'm more than interested, I hope to have the same set-up in a couple of months just because of the diversity of music without commercials

WTf? I guess I have to save my money for satellite radio now

Slave2daGroove said:

But the DJ's are HORRID.

Slave2daGroove said:

It will be interesting to see if this radio satellite radio really catches on.

Would a majority of Stern's listeners (or anyone's for that matter) have satellite radio?

I'm definitely focusing more here on the fact that I too know no one with satellite radio-it's a great thought that it could break from the Clear Channel corporate control of radio, but I'm thinking it'd take at least a few more years (if not long) for it catch on with the mainstream.