Recently in Howard Stern Category

Another set of photos of the Best of Sirius package working for XM subscribers - this time on a Pioneer Inno. Also, if you missed it, there's a Best of Sirius page up on XM's website.

Is the sky falling?

Howard Stern appears on XM's website - XM channel 100, and Opie & Anthony appear on Sirius' website - Sirius channel 197.

The latest XM Signal email newsletter revealed some upcoming channel changes to the XM dial, and a quick glance at some of the channel pages on the XM website shows Howard Stern in the lineup.

According to the XM Signal email:

"Beginning September 30th, the following channels will relocate on the XM dial: The Joint (XM 101) moves to XM 95, Air Musique (XM 100) moves to XM 96, and Sur La Route (XM 102) moves to XM 97. Additionally, Starbucks XM Cafe (XM 45) reverts back to XM Cafe (XM 45)."

So, it's safe to assume that Howard 100 and Howard 101 will retain the same channel designations on XM Satellite Radio.

If you need further proof, check out the XM channel 100 page (pictured above), where you can see "The Howard Stern Show" in the program list. The same holds true for XM channel 101,

Now here's the cool part: both the channel 100 and 101 channel guide pages also show Howard Stern programming starting on September 30th. Yes, that's tomorrow.

Thanks Ryan!

Chaunce Hayden is at it again, this time he's calling Sirius XM Radio Inc. CEO Mel Karmazin and Sirius personality Howard Stern the "assholes of the week" in his amateur magazine Steppin' Out.

Hayden cites his vast experience of having hosted his own Internet radio show as a basis that Sirius won't be able to support Stern's salary. He also brags about his prophetic capabilities by saying he "predicted in five years Sirius stock would be in the toilet," back in 2005. Thankfully Chaunce isn't bragging about those scary "death threats" he's receiving on message boards, because that's just embarrassing.

Hayden elevated his demeanor in the piece by writing that Mel Karmazin has a "creepy gummy smile" and describes Karmazin as a "con man" rather than an asshole. At least he's not seeding any sex-tape rumors - we wouldn't want Chaunce to ruin his credibility or anything.

But when he personifies Mel Karmazin and Howard Stern as being "behind every major corporate failure" you learn just what an over-dramatic wannabe this little man truly is.

Did I mention the circulation of Steppin' Out is only 150k? And that's after being around for 20 years. I guess Hayden's technique of goading Stern over the years hasn't paid off.

[Howard Shrine]

Howard Stern's deal with In Demand Networks has been extended, allowing the network to carry Howard TV on Demand through the end of 2010, according to FMQB.

Stern will remain with In Demand through the rest of his contract with Sirius Satellite Radio as part of the renewal, and additional programming on Howard TV will also be offered.

New programs joining the lineup include "Beat the Booey," "Wack Pack at the Christys' Farm," "Killers of Comedy on the Road" and "Wack Pack Bowling." Each of the new shows will run from 4-6 episodes and will roll out throughout the rest of the year.

Other planned programming includes the weekly "Best of the Wrap-Up Show" and "Beat of the Year Special 2008," plus some other behind-the-scenes shows.

Howard TV is available to about 24 million viewers.

[TV Week via FMQB]
Thanks Todd!

Artie Lange, longtime sidekick on The Howard Stern Show, has checked himself into an intensive outpatient rehabilitation facility.

E! News confirmed the news with Lange's publicist, but there is no additional information on where Artie is being treated, or what exactly he's being treated for.

News of Lange's in-treatment status comes after he canceled a string of stand-up dates, as well as a planned appearance in Los Angeles on the Comedy Central roast of Bob Saget, which was taped Sunday night.

Mel Karmazin, CEO of the newly formed Sirius XM Radio Inc., will be making the rounds today with two of the leading talkers on the combined satellite radio company, reports FMQB.

His first stop will be on The Howard Stern Show, where I'm sure he'll answer many questions about the merger and how it will affect the fans.

Then Mel Karmazin is expected to make his way to The Opie & Anthony Show during the 9am ET hour. Since O&A's contract still hasn't been renewed, "fans should finally get the answers they have been looking for," writes FMQB.

[FMQB]
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Following the obvious political posturing at the Federal Communications Commission, Howard Stern called the opposition to the merger "communism" and vowed to never vote Democrat again.

"I've voted Republican and I've voted Democrat," said Stern on the air. "I have vowed I will never vote for a Democrat again. I don't give a %#@% - no matter who they are."

Stern took it even further and called the Democrat commissioners "communists" and referred to their tactics as "gangsterism."

"The fact that these Democrats on the FCC are communists," Stern added. "They're for communism. They don't want to see companies... this is gangsterism."

[Business and Media]

Listen to the audio after the jump...

Howard Stern show producer Gary Dell'Abate, sidekick Artie Lange, and comedians Nick DiPaolo, Jim Florentine and Dave Attell came under fire after performing a comedy show in Afghanistan.

The comics had just finished a set for troops in Kandahar when the base came under attack.

"Everything was going fine until the end," a friend of the comics, who heard from them by cell phone, told the Daily News. "They were all done with their sets, and they were headed in a car convoy to a meet-and-greet elsewhere, but they only made it about 20 yards.

"The military base they were on came under mortar fire, and the convoy was turned around."

Troops led the comics into a secure bunker, where the comedians - all uninjured - waited until the shelling stopped. They went on to continue the USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour at other undisclosed locations in the Persian Gulf.

Dell'Abate's rep confirmed the incident but couldn't comment.

[NY Daily News]
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Assuming the FCC approves the Sirius and XM merger, both companies will need to take drastic steps to bolster their balance sheet, including cutting costs and refinancing massive debt. And Fortune writer Scott Moritz questions whether one of the areas to trim, would be Howard Stern contract.

"The question is, is there anyone out there who would pay him $700 million," asks Scott Cleland, a Washington-based analysts with Precursor. "Good luck."

Total programming costs, in total, came in at $475.4 million last year, or 23% of total revenue - the biggest single expense for the two companies. And Stern's contract - along with the NFL ($220 million for 7-years), NASCAR ($107.5 million for 5-years) and MLB ($650 million for 11-years) - are some of the biggest contributors.

Depending on the health of the combined company, Moritz figures that Stern may be in for a tough negotiation when renewal time comes up in 2010.

Cowen & Co. analyst Tom Watts thinks that's exactly what Sirius will do: wait until Stern's contract expires before seeking new terms. Watts says the more pressing issue is refinancing XM's $1.46 billion debt, a move he says could happen soon after the merger.

Sure, some significant belt-tightening is in order, but the real factor in negotiations isn't whether there's only one satellite radio player in town: it's who needs who more. So the question is: does Sirius-XM need Howard Stern, more than Howard Stern needs Sirius-XM?

[Fortune]