Radio Tata!
Howard Stern has laid off about 12 staff members from his SiriusXM show as he prepares to cut back to one new show a week after Labor Day, Page Six has heard.
After months of speculation about his future on air, the radio giant signed a new contract in December last year, saying it would give him more “flexibility”.
Sources said staff received the news via Zoom on Monday.
During the phone call, he was told that Stern was planning to cut back to one show a week once he returned from summer vacation.
We’re told that Stern has retained a core team of veteran producers, but “he doesn’t need that much content anymore.”
The remaining broadcast time is expected to be filled with tapes from his extensive archive.
The amount of the contract is unknown, but his previous five-year deal was worth a whopping $500 million.
The staff members were sent home immediately after making the report and will receive severance pay based on how long they worked for the network.
Stern caused an uproar last year when he announced to his staff on Labor Day night that he would not be returning to the airwaves after the holidays, as expected, the Daily Mail reported at the time.
He reportedly skipped the episode out of “dissatisfaction” with contract negotiations.
When he returned for another three years in December, he said on the show: “I’m happy to announce that I’ve found a way to have it all.”
“I have more free time and can continue to do radio appearances,” he added, saying the new contract would give him more “flexibility.”
“I like holidays. You know, I’m never bored. I’m busy every minute.”
Shortly after the deal was signed, Stern’s wife Beth said on Andy Cohen’s Sirius show, “I think his new schedule is working out really well for him.”
“I think it’s very good for him to continue. He still enjoys it. I think he’s still very good at it. I think that’s what keeps him connected,” she said, adding that it gives her husband of 72 years an “outlet” to share his thoughts.
Stern first appeared on the air in 1977. He pioneered the shock jock formula and became one of the most incisive interviewers of A-list talent ever on air. He then joined satellite radio network Sirius in 2006. This is a groundbreaking agreement in the broadcasting world.
A representative for Sirius did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
