After nearly two decades at SiriusXM and almost five decades in radio, Howard Stern’s polarizing broadcast career may be nearing its final chapter. According to a new report from The Sun, SiriusXM is not expected to renew Stern’s $100 million-a-year contract when it expires this fall.
While SiriusXM is reportedly prepared to make an offer, multiple sources say the gap in expectations is too wide.
“Sirius and Stern are never going to meet on the money he is going to want,” one insider told The Sun.“It’s no longer worth the investment.”
SiriusXM is reportedly interested in retaining the digital rights to Stern’s archive, but his live broadcasting days appear numbered.
“There’s no way they can keep paying his salary,” another source added, pointing to financial losses and declining interest in the show.
Stern’s Pivot to Political Rants
Stern, once known for pushing the limits of comedy and free speech, has abandoned his shock-jock persona in recent years and embraced partisan politics—a pivot that alienated longtime fans and frustrated SiriusXM executives.
His hardline stance during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly his support for vaccine mandates and his dismissive attitude toward civil liberties, drew widespread backlash.
“Fk them. Fk their freedom,” Stern said of vaccine skeptics in 2021.“I want my freedom to live.”
He even mocked other radio hosts who died from COVID after refusing the vaccine, suggesting without evidence that their dying words were filled with regret.
Attacks on Trump Supporters Sparked Outrage
Stern’s open hostility toward conservatives escalated during the 2020 and 2024 elections, reaching a boiling point when he sat down with Democrat nominee Kamala Harris and made inflammatory remarks about President Trump’s supporters.
“I don’t hate Donald… I hate you for voting for him,” Stern said.“I hate you, I don’t want you here.”
Such comments reportedly led to internal friction at SiriusXM, which had previously embraced Stern as the face of its brand since his move to the satellite platform in 2006.
From Radio Trailblazer to Political Liability
Stern, now 71, first rose to fame on WNBC and later WXRK (“K-Rock”), where The Howard Stern Show became a syndicated national phenomenon.
His move to SiriusXM in 2006 was seen as a major win for the emerging satellite radio platform, helping to drive subscriptions and elevate the brand.
But in recent years, the same brash, independent image that once made Stern a cultural icon has been overshadowed by partisan talking points, causing ratings to dip and relevance to fade.
Parallel to Colbert’s Fall
Stern’s impending departure follows CBS’s recent decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, another program dominated by partisan content and burdened by soaring production costs.
Both Stern and Colbert pivoted hard to left-wing politics, and both saw corporate support wane as their audience narrowed and profits dried up.
