Howard Stern has come under scrutiny due to claims that the veteran radio host is unhappy with SiriusXM, his network, for focusing more on promoting a younger podcaster. His ratings have also come down, as discussed below.
The podcaster in question is Alex Cooper, whom Stern admitted earlier this month he didn’t know, although he stated that he had no problem with his network investing in other talent.
Despite this, speculation continues to grow. Reports indicate that some of Howard Stern’s staff are considering leaving his show to work with Cooper, who is widely regarded as the “future of Sirius.”
In the wake of Stern dismissing rumors about leaving SiriusXM and ending his show as completely false, a new twist has emerged in the ongoing drama.
End of Howard Stern?
Insiders are now claiming that the radio shock jock has issues with his network’s heavy backing of “Call Her Daddy” host Alex Cooper, who is allegedly being positioned as the “future of Sirius.”
“Howard knows that they are spending much more money on promoting Alex and her podcast,” an insider said of Stern, per the Daily Mail.
“He sees the writing on the wall that she’s now the future, and Sirius seems more interested in putting money into her.”
The same insider went on to claim that Stern “can’t swallow that gigantic pill” of Cooper being positioned as the future of Sirius, something that became even more apparent after her $125 million, three-year deal with the network was announced in August 2024.
Part of Stern’s alleged grievance with Cooper is that, unlike him, she isn’t a conventional radio host.
“He doesn’t like that she’s not ‘regular radio’ and that Sirius is backing her and shelling their money into her pockets,’ said the source, adding that Stern’s “ego is taking over.”
Stern was also described as “far from welcoming,” with a long-held belief that “there’s no one else but him.”
The radio host has reportedly been giving Cooper the cold shoulder during her visits to SiriusXM’s New York City offices, claiming he does not want to engage with anyone.
“If he comes into the office, he’s quickly escorted in with security and quickly escorted out. There’s no interacting with other talent,” the source continued.
They added, “His security team there treats him as if he’s of presidential status.”
Howard Stern’s ratings drop
Stern’s concerns are not unfounded, as earlier reports indicated that his show’s audience has dropped from approximately 20 million daily listeners to only 125,000.
One source told the Daily Mail that the “numbers are so pathetic” the showrunners have been left scrambling for solutions.
As for how things got this bad, the insider pointed the finger squarely at Stern himself, saying he had “sold out his own audience so bad” by mocking MAGA listeners and openly telling them he “didn’t want them listening to his show anymore.”
