“The Howard Stern Show” is getting the boot from SiriusXM.
JUST IN: SiriusXM has CANCELED The Howard Stern Show after the Trump hater’s ratings PLUMMET
At least Stern will have time to tend to his TDS now
“After you saw what happened with Stephen Colbert, it’s like they just can’t afford to keep him going,” a SiriusXM insider… pic.twitter.com/VkLFuprRsN
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 6, 2025
Back in the day, Howard Stern was the king of shock radio. He pushed boundaries, made headlines, and built a massive following.
In 2004, when he left traditional radio for satellite, Sirius had just 600,000 subscribers. Today, that number has grown to over 33 million, and Stern played a big part in that rise.
But over the last few years, Stern started to change. He traded his edgy, anything-goes style for something that felt more Hollywood.
He started calling himself “woke” and went on air in 2024 saying he “hates the people who vote for Trump” and thinks they’re “stupid,” according to The Daily Beast.
That kind of talk didn’t sit well with many of his longtime fans – plenty of whom lean conservative. As his politics shifted, so did his ratings.
Follow the Money
Now, SiriusXM hasn’t said much publicly about why they’re cutting ties, but a look at the numbers tells a story.
According to SiriusXM’s second-quarter financial report, the company lost about $10 million a year on Stern’s show. That’s a big hole to fill, even for a major media company.
Stern was reportedly pulling in a $100 million salary, making him the highest-paid figure in radio.
With podcasting now on the rise (SiriusXM’s podcast revenue is up 50% this year) the company is clearly moving in a different direction. New stars, like Alex Cooper of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, come with younger audiences and lower price tags.
Even though Stern still had around 10 million listeners, per Forbes, it seems the business case just didn’t hold up anymore.
Conservatives Say: “Told You So”
Across conservative media, the reaction has been one of satisfaction.
Nick Sortor called it a cultural “correction.” Trump called Stern a “broken weirdo” on “Gutfeld!” last fall.
The Gateway Pundit reminded readers that Stern used to be buddy-buddy with Trump, appearing on his show over 20 times before turning on him during the 2016 election.
But It’s Not Just Politics
Yes, Stern turned off a big chunk of his fanbase. Yes, his anti-Trump rants rubbed people the wrong way.
But in the end, it’s likely the high cost of keeping him on the air, mixed with a changing media landscape, that sealed his fate.
Even with decades of influence and loyal fans, no one’s safe when the numbers don’t add up.
Show’s Over
Howard Stern’s story is a cautionary tale.
He built a media empire by being bold and speaking his mind, but somewhere along the way, he stopped listening to the people who made him famous.
Now, with his show reportedly off the air and SiriusXM tightening its belt, it’s a reminder to entertainers and companies everywhere: if you forget your audience, they might just forget you too.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
