Howard Stern is dropping his show’s new episode from three a week to just one, according to a report from Page Six.
SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show has laid off dozens of staffers in preparation for the new schedule, which will begin after Labor Day. Sources told Page Six that those laid off were notified over Zoom on Monday because the host “just doesn’t need that much content anymore.”
The news follows speculation that the show would be canceled last year, after a U.S. Sun report claimed the host’s salary demands during contract negotiations would kill the deal.
There was also speculation that Stern’s anti-Trump stance would lead SiriusXM’s executives to end the show. The Sun quoted a source as saying, “If Sirius isn’t going to give Stern a good offer, I don’t think it would have anything to do with his ratings,” the source claimed. “It’s more likely everything to do with the political climate.”
The network is also the home of Donald Trump loyalist Megyn Kelly’s eponymous show.
The rumors were put to bed later that year when Stern signed a three-year contract to stick around. While his latest payout was undisclosed, his last five-year contract was worth $500,000,000, according to Page Six.
“I still do love being on the radio. I think the show is better than ever, I really do believe that in my heart,” he said on his show when he made the announcement in December. He added that his new deal would give him “more free time.” Tuesday’s reveal makes that free time more evident.
Page Six also reports that axed staffers will receive severance packages commensurate with their time at the network. In April, Stern was sued by an ex-assistant who claimed she was subjected to a “hostile environment” while working for Stern and his wife, Beth, at their Southampton mansion from 2022 to 2026.
The legal battle is still ongoing.
