Represent Radio

After much back and forth, will they won’t they coverage of the Sirius XM vs. Stern saga, 5-years proved to be only the halfway point in their relationship, as Stern re-upped with the satellite radio provider for another 5-year deal, with details not disclosed. With Stern back in-tow, alongside new addition Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Oprah and more, Sirius boasts a lineup of prominent personalities who have defected from the FCC regulated airwaves of traditional radio. So what? There’s certainly nothing wrong with poaching the biggest names in broadcast, after all, radio success is built on nurturing a following of regular listeners. As loyalty develops, so do fame and ratings, thus it follows the easy way to gain listeners is to purchase their talent and, in turn, their listeners.In the early days of satellite radio, this strategy made sense. The promising technology boasted plenty of advantages over its FM/AM and network counterparts, through an abundance of channels and commercial free programming. What satellite companies needed was a big draw to make the subscription fees worth the consumer’s while. Once the audience became accustomed to the subscription fee and experienced firsthand the benefits of satellite radio, it would seem as if the top-paid talent in the world would no longer be necessary. However, while its on-air employees have had no problem building a loyal fan-base over the years, it seems as if fans of the service itself or more fickle. Having satellite for the benefits of Sirius XM itself, doesn’t appear to be a sticking point. (more…)

On Stern’s side of the satellite radio divide, the crystal ball is foggy is best. There is no doubt Stern can survive with censors breathing down his neck, after all, it’s not like his long running show on E! was allowed to bare all. Satellite radio, however, offered a plethora of possibility for the most controversial voice on the airwaves. He will be hard-pressed to find a situation more uniquely catered to his every beckon call. Would Stern take his talent to the traditional FM/AM market? There’s a better chance Conan O’Brien stars in a new fall NBC pilot. It’s tough to imagine Stern taking step back to any medium with limited range of motion, he has quite simply come too far. While a return to cable may be a long shot, television all together is not out of the picture. Were the right deal to come along for, say, a half hour on HBO, it could be tough to turn down. (more…)

For the past 5 years, Howard Stern has called Sirius Satellite radio home, with 100 million dollars to show for it. However, at the end of the year, Stern’s contract with serious finally comes to close and has yet to be renewed, as speculation is already underway on whether Sirius intends to re-sign their top billed talent. It raises the question, “What would Sirius look like without Stern leading the radio personality charge?” or better yet, “What would Stern look like 5 years removed from the shackles of censorship?”From a Sirius standpoint, 100 million is a lot of “straight cash homey,” in the timeless words of Randy Moss. At the onset of satellite radio, Stern was essential in bringing in new clientele and heightening the company’s profile. Now as more mature business, complete with a broad consumer base, Sirius perhaps can allocate such funds more efficiently, as opposed to spending such an exorbitant sum on a big name attraction. Sirius is past the point of making a splash, with Howard Stern serving as their main “Hey, look at us” calling card. Now, it might be time to use his salary to hire a host of radio personalities spanning a wider variety of viewpoints, culminating in a more complete radio experience. (more…)