musicradio77
11-07-2005, 08:35 PM
Howard Stern will be taking a rest on Tuesday, courtesy of his employers at Infinity Broadcasting Corp.
The “King of All Media” was suspended with pay for one day for talking too much about Sirius Satellite Radio, where he is moving his show in January. He has become an increasing annoyance for his current employer with seemingly nonstop promotion of the satellite service and diatribes against Infinity, a division of Viacom Inc.
An Infinity spokeswoman didn't return calls for comment and WXRK-FM, the flagship station for the Howard Stern Show, also declined to comment. "This is an act of desperation by men who are losing their once-in-a-lifetime franchise," said a spokesman for Mr. Stern.
The one-day suspension was the inevitable result of the quandary Infinity has found itself in as it permits Mr. Stern to promote his upcoming Sirius show. Mr. Stern will launch two full-time channels on Sirius when he moves his morning show there in January.
Despite his promotion of the competition, Infinity has kept Mr. Stern on the air because of the premium advertisers pay for his show.
A “live read” on the Howard Stern Show -- in which the host promotes the product himself -- can cost as much as $5,000, according to a media buyer. Running a taped commercial on the show, as WXRK will do tomorrow, costs about half that.
Tomorrow morning, the shock jock’s fans will hear a “best of” the Howard Stern Show on WXRK-FM and in the more than 20 markets around the country where the show still airs.
The “King of All Media” was suspended with pay for one day for talking too much about Sirius Satellite Radio, where he is moving his show in January. He has become an increasing annoyance for his current employer with seemingly nonstop promotion of the satellite service and diatribes against Infinity, a division of Viacom Inc.
An Infinity spokeswoman didn't return calls for comment and WXRK-FM, the flagship station for the Howard Stern Show, also declined to comment. "This is an act of desperation by men who are losing their once-in-a-lifetime franchise," said a spokesman for Mr. Stern.
The one-day suspension was the inevitable result of the quandary Infinity has found itself in as it permits Mr. Stern to promote his upcoming Sirius show. Mr. Stern will launch two full-time channels on Sirius when he moves his morning show there in January.
Despite his promotion of the competition, Infinity has kept Mr. Stern on the air because of the premium advertisers pay for his show.
A “live read” on the Howard Stern Show -- in which the host promotes the product himself -- can cost as much as $5,000, according to a media buyer. Running a taped commercial on the show, as WXRK will do tomorrow, costs about half that.
Tomorrow morning, the shock jock’s fans will hear a “best of” the Howard Stern Show on WXRK-FM and in the more than 20 markets around the country where the show still airs.