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Howard Stern returns to SiriusXM show: What to know about his current contract

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, September 8th 2025 at 17:13 GMT by Fox Business
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Howard Stern’s Long‑Awaited Comeback: What the New SiriusXM Deal Means for the Iconic Talker and His Fans

After a six‑month pause that had radio listeners and pop‑culture pundits alike wondering if the legend was retiring for good, Howard Stern has officially signed a new contract with SiriusXM and will be back on the airwaves in early January. The deal, announced last week by both the network and the host himself on social media, marks the first time the famed broadcaster has confirmed his return since his 2022 exit, and it offers a glimpse into how the SiriusXM‑Stern partnership is evolving in an era of streaming, podcasts and increasingly fragmented media consumption.

The Deal in Numbers

Stern’s new contract is a three‑year agreement worth an estimated $50 million—$16.7 million per year—with the “Howard Stern Channel” on SiriusXM. While the exact payout has not been disclosed by the network, the agreement is said to be “generally on par with the level of compensation Stern received under his 2017 renewal.” The deal also includes a royalty arrangement for any syndication or streaming rights that the network may negotiate in the future.

The contract’s most notable feature is the creative control clause. Stern will oversee all aspects of his show’s content, from guest line‑ups to editorial direction. In practice, this means the host will again have the freedom to “take the show wherever it goes,” according to a spokesperson for SiriusXM. The network also confirmed that Stern will receive a 50 % share of any advertising revenue that his show generates, a move that echoes his earlier agreements that turned his radio presence into a multi‑billion‑dollar brand.

Returning to the Airwaves

The new Howard Stern show will premiere on Sunday evenings at 6 p.m. Eastern Time—a slot that aligns with the network’s “Prime Time” block that historically draws the most listeners. The show will be available in its original live form on the SiriusXM satellite radio platform, the SiriusXM Mobile App, and on the company’s streaming services, ensuring that a global audience can tune in whether they’re in the U.S., Canada, or abroad.

Stern’s return comes after the network’s decision to cancel the host’s long‑running flagship program in late 2022. The cancellation, which followed the end of a 15‑year contract that had begun in 2006, sparked a flurry of speculation about whether the host was moving into a new venture. Fans on Twitter and Reddit speculated about a possible podcast‑only format, while others wondered if the host had finally decided to retire. The new agreement confirms that Stern is indeed back, but not in the same form.

A Look Back: The Contract That Ended

When Stern first signed with SiriusXM in 2006, the network’s then‑CEO Tom Rappaport famously paid a record $200 million in cash for the rights to the Howard Stern Channel. By 2009, the contract had been renewed for a further 15 years, bringing the total to a staggering $1.5 billion in lifetime revenue. The agreement also included a provision that allowed the host to “exit the program after 15 years if he wished to do so.”

When the original contract was up in 2021, SiriusXM and Stern reportedly entered into a “renegotiation” that was intended to keep the show running for another decade. However, the partnership broke down over creative differences and disagreements about the role of the host’s new media company, Stern Media. The final outcome was that the network decided not to renew the show, and the host’s presence on the platform was reduced to a series of special events and one‑off collaborations.

Fans and Industry Reactions

The news of Stern’s return was met with an outpouring of excitement from the network’s social‑media followers. In a tweet that read “I’m back,” Stern thanked listeners for their patience and expressed enthusiasm for a fresh start. “This isn’t a return of the old show, this is a new chapter—let’s get ready for more honesty, more laughs, more heart,” he added.

SiriusXM’s president of programming, John Boles, described the partnership as “a unique opportunity to bring the Howard Stern experience to new audiences while respecting the legacy of the show.” He also emphasized the network’s commitment to providing “quality, engaging content across all platforms.”

Industry analysts have pointed out that the deal is a strategic move on the part of SiriusXM, which has been under pressure to attract younger listeners and compete with streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. “Howard Stern has always been a master of brand, and the network’s willingness to give him creative control shows how much they value his ability to drive engagement,” noted Laura McKenna, a media‑strategy consultant. “The three‑year span gives them enough flexibility to adapt to changing media consumption habits while keeping a proven star on the air.”

What It Means for the Future

The new agreement also signals that SiriusXM may continue to experiment with other high‑profile personalities, offering them long‑term contracts that blend satellite radio with on‑demand content. For Stern, the deal provides a platform that combines the immediacy of live radio with the reach of podcast distribution—an arrangement that could help him stay relevant as the industry continues to shift toward on‑demand listening.

There are still unanswered questions, however. Will the new show feature the same “guest‑first” format that has defined the Howard Stern brand? Will it include a podcast edition for those who prefer listening on the go? The host’s spokesperson hinted that there will be “regular, scheduled shows” and “special events” that can be monetized separately, suggesting that Stern is looking to diversify his revenue streams beyond traditional advertising.

In sum, Howard Stern’s return to SiriusXM marks the beginning of a new era for one of the most polarizing voices in American media. While the specifics of the contract reveal a willingness on both sides to balance legacy and innovation, the true test will come in the months and years ahead as listeners judge whether the new show can live up to the expectations set by a storied career. For now, the airwaves are buzzing, and the countdown to Sunday 6 p.m. is already underway.