Howard Stern lays off staff, cuts SiriusXM show to one per week

Howard Stern has laid off around a dozen SiriusXM staffers as he prepares to cut new live shows to one per week after Labor Day, Page Six reports. Employees learned the news Monday on a Zoom call and were sent home immediately. Remaining airtime will largely come from archive replays under the flexibility built into his December contract renewal.

Key Takeaways

• Page Six reports that Howard Stern lays off roughly a dozen SiriusXM show staffers ahead of a major schedule cut.
• After Labor Day, Stern is expected to produce just one new live show per week; archive tape will fill the rest.
• Staff were told on a Monday Zoom call and will receive severance based on tenure with the network.
• Stern kept a core team of veteran producers while trimming roles tied to higher-volume content.
• SiriusXM reps did not immediately respond to Page Six's request for comment.

Why did Howard Stern lay off staff?

According to Page Six, Stern eliminated about a dozen positions because he no longer needs as large a team to support daily programming. Sources told the outlet that he kept a core group of veteran producers but concluded he "just doesn't need that much content anymore."

The layoffs follow months of speculation about Stern's future on the air. Back in December, after that uncertainty, the radio titan signed a new contract that he said would give him more "flexibility." The staffing reduction appears to align production with that lighter schedule rather than signal an immediate exit from broadcasting.

What happens to the Howard Stern Show schedule?

During Monday's call, staffers were told Stern plans to drop to a single new show per week after he returns from his summer break, which Page Six reports will take effect after Labor Day. That is a sharp pullback from the multi-day rhythm that long defined his SiriusXM run.

Sources said the remaining airtime is expected to be filled with tape from Stern's vast archive. For longtime listeners, that means fewer fresh interviews and bits, but a continued presence on the channel built around one weekly live broadcast plus replays.

What did Stern say about his new contract?

When Stern re-upped for another three years in December, he told listeners, "I am happy to announce that I have figured out a way to have it all." He added there would be "more free time and continuing to be on the radio," and that the deal would give him more "flexibility."

"I do like my days off. You know me, I'm never bored. I'm busy every minute," he said at the time. Shortly after the deal was signed, his wife Beth told Andy Cohen's Sirius show she thought the new schedule was "working out really well for him" and that radio still gives the 72-year-old host an outlet to share his thoughts.

Page Six notes it is unclear how much the latest deal is worth. Stern's previous five-year contract was reported at a staggering $500 million. Last year, he caused a frenzy when he told staff on Labor Day evening that he would not be back on the air as expected after the holiday; the Daily Mail reported at the time that he skipped those episodes out of "frustration" with contract negotiations.

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