Howard Stern, the self-proclaimed "King of All Media," has once again managed to captivate the attention of both his loyal listeners and the media industry at large. On September 8, 2025, Stern returned to his SiriusXM airwaves after a summer hiatus, only to kick off the broadcast with an elaborate prank that sent shockwaves through the world of radio and beyond. Enlisting Bravo host Andy Cohen, Stern staged a mock handover of his show, fueling rampant speculation that his storied run at SiriusXM was over.
"This is, I know, not the voice that you expected to hear, this is not the voice that you probably wanted to hear, but it is I, Andy Cohen, and this is our first day broadcasting on Andy 100. I know you’re expecting a big announcement from Howard and this is actually not how things were meant to go," Cohen told listeners as the broadcast began, according to Fox News. He went on, "Howard and the executive team at SiriusXM felt that it was best to, kind of, part way now." The segment, delivered with Cohen’s signature flair, left listeners—and even seasoned news anchors—scrambling for answers.
The ruse worked a little too well. Major outlets, including the Associated Press, CNBC, and Variety, rushed to report that Stern had been ousted from SiriusXM, only to retract their stories hours later. CNBC’s "Squawk Box" even delivered the “breaking news” live on air, with anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin declaring, "Howard Stern officially splitting with SiriusXM after nearly 20 years." Moments later, his co-anchor Rebecca Quick sheepishly clarified, "He trolled viewers with a gag that Andy Cohen had taken over his slot." The Associated Press issued a correction, noting, "This story first was published on Sept. 8, 2025. It was updated on Sept. 8, 2025, to correct that Howard Stern is not leaving SiriusXM and an announcement of his departure was a prank."
Soon after, Stern himself joined the broadcast, thanking Cohen for the bit and addressing the rumors head-on. "Lest anyone think that was real, that was all masterminded by me," Stern said, as reported by Fox News. He continued, "Here’s the truth -- SiriusXM and my team have been talking about how we go forward in the future. They’ve approached me, they’ve sat down with me like they normally do, and they’re fantastic."
This latest stunt comes at a pivotal time for Stern and SiriusXM. His current five-year contract, reportedly worth $500 million, is set to expire at the end of 2025. According to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, this deal—estimated at around $100 million annually—has made Stern one of the highest-paid personalities in broadcasting. The satellite radio giant, which has seen its subscriber base dip to 33 million in the second quarter of 2025 (a net loss of 68,000 from the previous quarter), faces mounting competition from free, ad-supported platforms like Spotify. As Stern’s contract nears its end, speculation about his future—and that of SiriusXM—has reached a fever pitch.
Rumors of Stern’s departure, retirement, or even being fired for being "too woke" have swirled for months, particularly after he postponed his return from summer break. Stern tackled these head-on during his Monday show, stating there is "zero truth" to reports he was fired for being "too woke" and dismissing claims of a feud with Andy Cohen or the death of co-host Robin Quivers. "Here’s the truth: SiriusXM and my team have been talking about how we go forward in the future," Stern reiterated, as quoted by Reuters. He also praised SiriusXM CEO Jennifer Witz, saying, "I’m very happy at Sirius."
The timing of the prank was no accident. As Reuters and the Associated Press have noted, periods of contract negotiation are often accompanied by a surge in rumors and speculation about Stern’s next move—a pattern the radio veteran seems to relish. According to financial analysts cited by Bloomberg, Stern’s show remains a cornerstone of SiriusXM’s programming and a crucial tool for subscriber acquisition. Executives at the company have publicly expressed their desire to keep Stern on air, but acknowledge that any new deal must make financial sense as SiriusXM pursues significant cost savings.
Insiders cited by the US Sun claim that while SiriusXM plans to make Stern an offer, they do not expect him to accept it, citing disagreements over salary. "Sirius and Stern are never going to meet on the money he is going to want. It’s no longer worth the investment," one source said. Another suggested that SiriusXM may focus on retaining Stern’s content library for replay on its Howard 100 and Howard 101 channels, rather than continuing the live show. Stern’s back catalog, in fact, is already secured by SiriusXM through 2027, regardless of what happens next.
The shifting media landscape has not been kind to even the biggest names. Stern’s daily listener numbers, once in the millions, have reportedly dwindled to around 125,000. The host has also spent much of the past five years broadcasting from home due to COVID-19 concerns, a move that some critics say has contributed to his diminished on-air presence. Still, Stern’s ability to generate headlines—and to keep listeners guessing—remains undiminished.
In recent years, Stern has become an outspoken progressive, a shift that has not gone unnoticed by fans and detractors alike. In 2023, responding to accusations that he was "not good anymore" because he was "woke," Stern fired back on his show: "By the way, I kind of take that as a compliment, that I’m woke. I’ll tell you how I feel about it. To me the opposite of woke, is being asleep. And if woke means I can’t get behind Trump, which is what I think it means, or that I support people who want to be transgender or I’m for the vaccine, dude, call me woke as you f–king want."
Stern’s journey from shock jock to respected interviewer has been nothing short of remarkable. After parlaying his controversial style into national fame in the 1980s, he made the jump to satellite radio in 2006, lured by a lucrative payday and the promise of creative freedom. Over nearly two decades at SiriusXM, Stern has extended his contract twice before—first in 2010, then again in 2020. He’s conducted headline-grabbing interviews with the likes of Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen, authored bestselling books, and even served as a judge on "America’s Got Talent."
As the clock ticks down on his current deal, the question on everyone’s mind is whether Stern and SiriusXM can find common ground for yet another renewal. SiriusXM president Scott Greenstein told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024, "He’s been with me and the company going on two decades, and so he’s pretty happy, but he’s also able, like many great artists, to stop whenever he wants. Nobody will ever replace them. We would never try to replace them."
For now, Stern remains at the center of the conversation—just where he likes it. His latest prank may have fooled the media, but it also served as a reminder: in the world of radio, Howard Stern still knows how to keep us all guessing.
