Howard Stern said he’s “pretty sure” he’ll leave satellite radio, but in the same breadth he hinted he may stay on at Sirius Satellite Radio after his contract expires at the end of this year.
On a sat radio broadcast late last week, the famed shock jock hinted he might launch an app that would let listeners hear his antics on a smartphone or computer, said The Hollywood Reporter. This would mean he would fail to renew his 5-year, $500 million contract with Sirius–the company he helped develop into a major media company with almost 19 million subscribers.
But Stern may also remain at Sirius in a lower key role. He might become a programmer of the two shows he hosts, making only intermittent live appearances. Under that scenario, he might add a third show, says The Hollywood Reporter.
But it’s all a guessing game for the next few months, as Stern’s ramblings on the radio are most likely just negotiating in public. Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin told analysts last month that a firm announcement on Stern’s future would be made prior to the company’s third quarter earnings call which is likely to occur in November. Last year’s Q3 call was held on November 5.
Analysts suggest that Sirius does not want to continue shelling out $100 million a year for Stern’s high fees, so it may be looking to reduce Stern’s hours spent live on sat radio.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter and The Motley Fool via Yahoo!Finance
Photo of Howard Stern via The Hollywood Reporter
