Howard Stern's Return

[amisdead]

In all of the trades the consensus seems to be that no broadcasting company or syndicator can afford to pay Howard what Sirius can.

But what if he doesn't need a syndicator or a broadcaster to make his return?

Thanks to his massive payout from Sirius and falling station prices he could easily purchase a NYC station outright (say RXP) and self-syndicate the show to the rest of the major markets. Imagine what a Howard all-day-long station could bill.

He finally would have absolute control and with significant financial upside. He can set his own work schedule and no longer has to deal with management.

This seems far more likely than him returning to CBS or going to Clear Channel.

 

[Morpheux]

All the signs seem to point him moving back to terrestrial.Howard being the entertainer he is misses the coverage and relevance that satellite failed to give him.

 

[pjc1961]

A link to one of many similarly worded articles about Howard's interview with "Bubba The Love Sponge" on Howard's Thu. 1/21/10 show where a potential return to terrestrial radio was broached: http://www.businessinsider.com/howard-stern-ditching-sirius-2010-1

Mentioned in another article: Stern did not reveal which terrestrial radio stations had approached him, but said “I can’t ever imagine the day where I’d work for Clear Channel.”

 

[musicfan101]

I don't think Howard would have a problem returning to CBS. Let's remember CBS did nothing wrong to him, he just wanted to be free of the FCC. That being said, look for NYC to have an attempt at a third or fourth (?) FM Talk station...

 

[ericdxx]

I don't think Howard would have a problem returning to CBS. Let's remember CBS did nothing wrong to him, he just wanted to be free of the FCC. That being said, look for NYC to have an attempt at a third or fourth (?) FM Talk station...

Les Monvees and his CBS/Infinity/Viacom sued Howard Stern in 2006 for advertising satellite radio on K-Rock. The case was settled outside court.

amisdead: Stern seems to be a pretty rational guy. He never ran a radio station. He doesn't even run his own channels on Sirius. I don't think that it was ever his dream to own a radio station.

But anyway, he could definitely set up his own studio and syndicate the show without any interference from a syndicator company.


I don't think it will happen becuase the money doesn't seem to be there in terrestial radio and Stern doesn't want to work full hours.

 

[luperm]

No way he comes back to radio.
I say he is posturing in his Sirius negotiations.

 

[musicfan101]

I mean, you never know. I don't know why Howard would even considering terrestial radio knowing the money won't be the same. Let's be honest, anyone who doesn't have satellite radio, how many satellite radio hosts can you name off the top your head....? Done? I think Howard misses the attention that FM radio brought him...

 

[TheBigA]

I agree with the story that Howard will leave Sirius at the end of this contract, and take his show to the internet and mobile radio, with some kind of terrestrial tie-in. As others have said, it won't be 4 live hours a day, but there will probably be some kind of package that will be available for free.

Mel wouldn't allow any of his talents to work with terrestrial. He wanted exclusivity. That made Howard a rich man, but took him off the public's radar. He wants the attention more than the money, and this might be a way for both.

 

[buffalotom]

Let's say it's safe to say Howard has a big ego. No arguing that.

This part is obviously open to debate, but he took himself out of the game for a
dump truck full of money.

Sure he's got an audience, but most of us haven't heard the show regularly
or watched him on TV in years. I'm not going out of my way to hear him. But if he was on the FM
dial, I'd tune him in EVERYDAY!

He'll be back on the radio so he can rightfully take his place BACK on the throne of King Of All Media.

Plus, he'll be able to be bought for a reasonable price. He's got all the money, now he'll want his relevance back.

 

[ButtnPushr]

Several weeks ago, I recall Howard talking about the new PPM rating system. He said if they had PPM's when he was on, he would have crushed the competition even more because people lied when filling out their diaries and many people didn't want to admit they listened to him. I wonder if the new ratings system would effect his decision. Also, I think it's safe to say when Howard left, radio in general started its tailspin. Coming back and reviving it again could solidify him as the true King of Radio.

 

[Oldbones]

Several weeks ago, I recall Howard talking about the new PPM rating system. He said if they had PPM's when he was on, he would have crushed the competition even more because people lied when filling out their diaries and many people didn't want to admit they listened to him. I wonder if the new ratings system would effect his decision. Also, I think it's safe to say when Howard left, radio in general started its tailspin. Coming back and reviving it again could solidify him as the true King of Radio.

I'm not so sure about that. The PPM tends not to be kind to talk programming on music stations...could it be the opposite was true that more people reported listening to him than really did (or put down that they listened longer) because he was considered hip?

If this happens, it would be interesting to see how he spins the fact that he is basically crawling back t terrestrial radio. Maybe 10% of his audience followed him to Sirius, the other 90% scattered. I'm sure he misses the attention, he has way too big of an ego not to. If he returns, will the audience come back, or will he be seen as yesterday's hero? The second act is rarely as good as the first, and it's a different world since he made his big splash in the 90s.
Despite his claims, he was king of only one media...morning radio. His ventures into film and tv never went very far.

 

[MarcB]

On the front page of Radio-Info it says he may go to Clear Channel. If that were the case they'd have to blow-up one of the 5 stations they own in NYC. He's not compatible with any of the formats CC is running in NYC.

For those watching from outside the market the 5 CC stations would be:

Z-100 - CHR
KTU - ? (what do you call KTU's format anyway? I've been in the City and through the city many times and each time I've heard KTU it sounds different).
POWER 105 - Hip Hop/R&B
Q-104.3 - Classic Rock
Lite-FM - Soft Rock

 

[TheBigA]

On the front page of Radio-Info it says he may go to Clear Channel.

Read it again. That's not what it says.

 

[LibertyNT]

Howard Would Work With Classic Rock. He was on a rock Station for a bit in Dallas.

 

[musicfan101]

As I said earlier, the only company Howard could go to is CBS. Every other major radio corporation is either low on money as it is, or they are just bankrupt (Citadel). Which means, CBS would most likely blow up one of their FM stations in NYC, LA, and other major cities, again for Howard to return on the air. I just wonder if and when Howard returns to radio, how many other satellite radio hosts will jump ship to terrestial radio?

 

[TheBigA]

I just wonder if and when Howard returns to radio, how many other satellite radio hosts will jump ship to terrestial radio?

For most of the music hosts who originally worked for Sirius in NY, satellite radio is a part-time job. They already have jobs on FM stations. For the big superstars, like Oprah, the future is in self-syndication. Harpo has their own internal team that could do whatever they want. They seem to be promoting their own brand with the OWN Network, and there could easily be a terrestrial componant once the XM deal is done. And as Howard said, he will take care of his friends, like Bubba.

 

[leethalweapon]

Lets say CBS is courting him. Where would you put him? Something tells me that FM Sports/Talk may just be Howards new home. CBS is flipping them all over the place, and he pretty much fits the demographic... Add the fact that CBS now also do streamimg, and streamimg regularly figures in book results, albeit small sample... If you got word around that Howard was broadcasting in New York and streaming to the world. There is easily an instant revenue source. Where there is no avalability in some markets, He could be moved to HD2. HD radio is a smaller cost in the long run when compared to satelitte...

 

[TheBigA]

He could be moved to HD2. HD radio is a smaller cost in the long run when compared to satelitte...

The sound you just heard was iBiquity squealing like pigs. Nothing would make them happier.

 

[jerry367]

HOOOOOOOOLLLLLLD on thar'......

Methinks many here have not listened to Stern regularly for at least the past ten years.

A few things:
--I know it's fun to get excited about the prospect of Stern returning to "save" radio, especially at a time when many are predicting the entire industry to implode, simultaneously ending many careers, hence all the rabid glass-is-half-full speculation.

--Stern became increasinlgy exasperated interrestrial radio as the years wore on, mainly due to corporate meddling with his content. He was regularly censored at the local and national levels by different managers and it drove him nuts, as it would anyone trying to do a creative program. THIS WILL NOT CHANGE, even if he returns to save radio. Why? Well, the FCC is still listening and last I heard, they're not going to make life any easier. Forget the FCC, broadcast companies will still quake in their boots and over-censor anyway out of paranoia. If you think Stern wants to deal with that again, then you really haven't been paying attention to him in recent years.

--Don't be so sure Stern left for satellite just because the money was so huge. I'm sure he would never admit it, but Mel Karmazin probably would've paid Stern a lot less than the $100 mil per year that the previous regime offered. The previous regime were spending money like drunken sailors. A startup should never incur the types of excess that these guys did---Mel said as much in an interview once. Also, Stern was making about 30-35 mil in terrestrial radio when he left. Don't you think he would've left for sattelite (with all it's headache-free creative freedom) for what he was already making, plus, say, another 20 mil a year on top of that? I'll bet he would have. Lots more money AND freedom. The freedom issue was a BIG part of this move. They didn't need to triple his salary.

If Stern leaves Sirius-XM, and that's a very big IF, he will likely go for direct distribution via the net. He's already hinted at that. Still, if history is any indication, these may all be negotiation tactics.

 

[fang39]

I think Howard's next move should be to self syndication. He could easily set up his own sales and marketing operations and build his own network empire.