“I don’t know if it’s wokeness that alienated some of his audience, or if he just got tamer with age, but whatever it is, it’s apparent no one wants to hear it anymore.”
Staff members of The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM are bracing for the program’s end after a 19-year run, as the longtime radio host’s $500 million contract is set to expire at the end of the year amid a steep audience decline.
According to the New York Post, two current employees said they have believed for the last year that SiriusXM would not renew Stern’s contract. Staffers reportedly have been “coasting” at work and searching for new jobs, with some writers saving their best material for future projects.
“Most of us have been coasting at work the last year,” because “we know he’s retiring, whether by choice or because he’s forced out,” one longtime staffer told the outlet. The show’s audience has reportedly fallen from 20 million daily listeners to about 125,000.
“I’m just hanging in there until this is all sorted out, and then I will take some time to unwind after all this,” the staffer said. “I’m a fan and it’s been a big part of my life for so long, but it hasn’t been fun for a while.”
Some insiders suggested Stern’s political shift may have contributed to his shrinking fan base. Once friendly with Donald Trump and supportive of Republican leaders such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Governor George Pataki, Stern endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016 and has more recently backed President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I don’t know if it's wokeness that alienated some of his audience, or if he just got tamer with age, but whatever it is, it's apparent no one wants to hear it anymore,” the second staffer said.
Employees alleged that the political shift by Stern was aimed at fitting in with Hollywood elites.
“I think he’s content to be out in there in the Hamptons with his celebrity friends,” the first worker claimed. “He likes being liked by famous people. That seems more important [to him] than his legacy.”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Stern has reportedly broadcast the show from his Southampton basement, leading some staff to describe him as a “hermit.”
“Everyone knows he hasn’t been the same since Covid. He does the show from his [Southampton] basement. And it’s been sad to see how irrelevant he’s become,” the second employee said.
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
