Howard Stern’s future at SiriusXM is up in the air as his massive $500 million, five-year deal nears its finale.
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The 71-year-old self-proclaimed “king of all media” might stick around SiriusXM on a short-term deal—if the price is right, however, he might just call it quits, according to The Sun.
“[Stern] may do a one- to two-year contract if they can meet him where he wants financially. He doesn’t want to pull the plug on his employees like this,” an alleged insider told The Daily Mail.
“He is off in the summer, but this year has been saying ‘Maybe I should retire,’” a second insider told the outlet.
According to the insider, Stern has grown frustrated with SiriusXM’s increasing focus on rival radio and TV personality Andy Cohen. Another source revealed that Stern is even considering the possibility of “parting ways” with the platform.
Insider Suggests That Howard Stern Might Be on the Bubble with SiriusXM Due to Political Views
The Howard Stern Show gained national fame during its 1986-2005 run on terrestrial radio. In 2004, Stern signed a $500 million deal with SiriusXM, but insiders claim the company struggled to sustain his salary.
“But as far as him coming back to doing the show, there’s no way they can keep paying his salary,” the source explained. “After you saw what happened with Stephen Colbert (at Paramount), it’s like they just can’t afford to keep him going.”
Howard Stern, known for his controversial style, has interviewed many celebrities, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, before the 2024 election. In recent years, he criticized Trump and his supporters, calling them “stupid,” to which Trump responded by accusing Stern of “going woke” and losing listeners.
Another source from The Sun revealed that Stern’s political views were not playing to his advantage.
“If Sirius isn’t going to give Stern a good offer, I don’t think it would have anything to do with his ratings,” the insider alleged. “It’s more likely everything to do with the political climate.”
Meanwhile, Stern’s show has seen a significant drop in listeners, going from 20 million daily to just 125,000 recently. He now works from home instead of recording in studios, citing concerns about COVID-19.