Howard Stern has signed a new three-year contract with SiriusXM, ending months of speculation about whether the longtime radio host would leave the satellite broadcaster when his current deal expires at the end of the year.
Stern told listeners Tuesday morning that he had reached a new agreement with SiriusXM that allows him to remain on the air with a more flexible schedule.
"I'm happy to announce that I've figured out a way to have it all," Stern said on air. "More free time, and continuing to be on the radio. So yes, we are coming back for three years."
The renewal follows widespread rumors that Stern's show might be ending.
His reduced on-air schedule, which includes summers off and fewer appearances from SiriusXM's New York City studios, fueled reports from several media outlets that his show was nearing an end.
Stern leaned into the uncertainty when listeners tuned into the show to be greeted by Andy Cohen, who suggested he had been brought in as a last-minute replacement.
Cohen played up the scenario, describing the moment as "surreal" and saying he was "winging it," while teasing a potential guest appearance by Patti LuPone, according to Entertainment Weekly.
After roughly 15 minutes, Stern resumed hosting duties, saying, "That was all masterminded by me."
The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Stern said only that it spans three years and allows him "more flexibility," indicating that his on-air appearances could become less frequent.
His prior contract with SiriusXM was a five-year agreement estimated at $100 million per year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Stern joined SiriusXM in 2006 after leaving terrestrial radio, citing the creative freedom offered by satellite broadcasting.
While he no longer hosts a daily weekday morning show as he did in earlier years, he continues to broadcast live on a regular basis.
His move to SiriusXM helped the company gain traction in its early years and build a paid audio model before streaming became dominant.
SiriusXM, meanwhile, has been undergoing significant cost-cutting.
The company is targeting $200 million in annualized savings in 2025 and has carried out layoffs as part of that effort.
Subscriber numbers have gradually declined from about 34 million in 2020 to roughly 33 million as of the second quarter of 2025, though executives have cited improved management of subscriber churn.
Despite the company's cost-cutting, executives have made clear they want to keep Stern.
"He has a lot of fans on the platform. And I'm encouraged. I think we're going to get to the right place," SiriusXM Chief Executive Jennifer Witz told The Hollywood Reporter in October. "And it's really about: What does Howard want? What do we want? What do our listeners want? And I think something will come together."
Stern echoed that sentiment during Tuesday's on-air announcement.
"I love this company. I truly do," he said. "I feel very loyal to this company. They did want me to come back, and they said, ‘Whatever you want to do, we'll do for you.' Who says that to anybody? When does your boss say that?"
Questions about Stern's future have surfaced repeatedly in recent years. In a 2019 Hollywood Reporter cover story, he reflected on retirement, saying, "I'm at a place now where I am trying to figure out how to spend the rest of my life, however long that might be."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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