Click on the banner to learn more...

Howard Stern all but abandoning radio show; praises satcasters

It was a grim day for Howard Stern on Friday. He claimed the FCC is about to drop a bunch of big fines on him for things he said three years ago. Stern predicted that he'll remain on the air for a few more weeks, but Infinity will eventually have to pull him from the airwaves.

In the last few minutes of the show he said may well be his last, he said he was going to reveal news about a letter a Senator sent to Viacom President Mel Karmazin asking him why Stern was still on the air after Infinity's new "Zero Tolerance" policy (that's already been used to suspend Don & Mike in February. We're not sure if that letter was Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), who did send a letter to Karmazin 3/1 regarding Stern's 2/24 show.

Said Stern: "When I reveal my information you will see what I'm talking about. I am not making wild accusations...I would guess that next week will be my last series of broadcasts on this radio station."

Stern then went on to praise satellite radio: "I could sell millions of satellite radios...After I'm thrown off the air...I'll rise from the ashes like a phoenix and I will not stop until every car is equipped [with a satellite radio]....[I'll] take down the very industry I created."

The resigned Stern also seemed to blame President Bush for all his troubles: "Do me one favor--vote against George Bush...remember who took your radio show off the air."

RBR observation:

What a mess. On top of all of radio's current problems, Howard Stern may be joining the list of ex-terrestrial shock jocks Opie and Anthony and Bubba the Love Sponge to likely be picked up by satellite radio-where they will be free to cuss all they want. Hey, FCC: Our kids can just as easily tune in these guys on the satellite boomboxes and car radios as they can on FM and AM!!! However, the folks on Capitol Hill are well aware of this unfair problem, we hear, and it is raising some dander.