Interactive Marketing

There is great speculation on whether Howard Stern is going back to the medium that made him famous, Traditional Free Radio. His Sirius contract is quickly coming to an end. Howard bolted to Satellite Radio 5 years ago in a financial windfall that could have never been matched in traditional radio. It has been a successful move for both Howard and Sirius. Howard is now the King Of Personal Wealth as a radio broadcaster. But Howard, in most media circles has had minimal impact as the former King Of All Media. His audience is only about a 10th of the audience that he had on Free Traditional radio.

His radio show on Sirius has changed to a much more titillating open forum of shock than his former regulated shock morning show for CBS Radio. Many radio experts believe that his traditional radio show was more entertaining. He had to work harder to get around the FCC rules for acceptable content. On the edge, innuendo laden creativity was what made Howard interesting. He does not have the FCC regulation shackles in a go for broke, non-regulated pay radio world. The result may seem to some a less creative Howard.

Howard is a very smart man and he will use his current forum to negotiate a deal that will pay him a lot of money. He brilliantly marketed his move to Sirius when he was still employed and broadcasting on CBS radio. Similar marketing moves are now simmering on his Sirius show.

The real question to be answered in Howard's atypical, creative mind is how can he leverage his deal to be on Traditional Radio where most people listen to radio for free, while continuing to be part of the Sirius Pay Per Ear business model.

Traditional Radio has taken some shots since Howard moved on with the growth of internet radio, mobile radio, pod casting and satellite radio. When you take into consideration all of the added competition, Traditional Radio continues to be the King Of All Audio. With the addition of Howard Stern, the medium would get the boost and attention that it has been lacking due to cuts in entertaining on air talent. Howard would also reap the benefits of reaching 93-95% of all persons as opposed to the less than 8% that satellite radio currently reaches. Sounds like a media marriage made for Main Street with an assist for Wall Street. Let the Prenuptial agreements begin.