FMQB has a feature about the breaking of silence, with some gas (oh man, I’m a literary genius!) on Howard Stern 100 and 101. It’s pretty funny that this even makes the news, but then I started thinking about this for a bit, and it’s an incredible PR move by Howard. Here’s the thought…

As time goes on, more and more ridiculous programming will show up on 100 and 101 - like the aural/anal experience created by Junior The Farter - and the press is going to get ‘wind’ of it and start ‘ripping’ it to pieces (I’m on a roll here). This is a PR stunt. Silence, then farting, then silence. It’s watercooler talk. The guys are the shop will snicker over it. The utter stupidity of it will keep the buzz going, until finally Howard makes his move in January and the real programming comes out.

See, Howard contractually can’t be heard on Sirius, so he can’t actually do much until January. But current subscribers will tune into the channel every once in a while, simply because it’s there, and hear pretty much nothing. It’ll piss of subscribers - and that’s exactly what Howard does best - because they want to hear something, anything, but are getting nothing. It’s a tease. A method to grow the anticipation for what is to come.

Howard fans who have already subscribed are still listening to him on terrestrial. They don’t want to anymore, who does? Terrestrial sucks. So “Douche” 100/101 might possibly supplement their desire to hear his stuff on Sirius, but they get NOTHING, forcing them to stick with terrestrial until the move. The silence only grows the desire to hear more.

It’s a stunt, a risky one, but a genius one too. I don’t care if you’re a Howard fan or not, his ability to intuitively market something is his best talent above all.