Howard Stern re-ups with SiriusXM for 5 more years
Howard Stern, who is currently doing his SiriusXM show from Southampton, said of the deal extension: "Now that I can work from home, I simply don't have an excuse to quit." Credit: Getty Images / Jamie McCarthy
Radio icon Howard Stern, raised in Roosevelt and Rockville Centre and now riding out the pandemic in Southampton, has extended his SiriusXM satellite radio contract for five more years.
"Fifteen years ago, I joined SiriusXM, a fledgling group of broadcasters," Stern, 66, said in a statement. "I had been in a toxic relationship with terrestrial radio. And no matter how well I treated the medium, no matter how successful I made ... [my employers], they abused me. Going to SiriusXM liberated me. ... "
"And despite the naysayers and the ridicule," Stern's statement went on, "we have persevered, and are thriving. I've been proven right about satellite radio over and over again. With this contract renewal, I can't wait to see what else I'll be right about. Certainly, I have a lot more to say about Metamucil crackers," he riffed about the frequent topic. "Plus, now that I can work from home, I simply don't have an excuse to quit."
Thanking his crew, in particular his longtime sidekick Robin Quivers, Stern added, "SiriusXM, I love you and I'm thrilled to continue our journey together."
His show's audio and video archive will continue to be licensed to SiriusXM for an additional seven years.
Stern had first signed with what was then the 3-year-old Sirius Satellite Radio in October 2004 with a 5-year, $500 million contract. Completing his syndicated FM-radio stint in December 2005, he debuted on Sirius the following month — earning an $83 million bonus a year later for exceeding subscriber goals for his show. Earlier this year he was No. 8 on Forbes magazine's 2020 list of the world's highest-paid celebrities, ranked the top-earning TV or radio host with an estimated $90 million income over the previous 12 months. Financial details for the new deal were not disclosed.
SiriusXM CEO Jim Meyer said in a statement, "Howard's home has been SiriusXM and it will remain that way, but we've expanded SiriusXM in recent years too, and we are excited about finding the right ways that select content from Howard can find audiences on additional platforms. May I add, I consider Howard a close friend and look forward to listening to him for years to come."
