I was the consultant for the team that helped launch Howard Stern’s syndicated career on WYSP in Philadelphia. It’s easy to forget that most industry pundits were very bearish about Howard’s ability to “relate” outside of New York City. And they also forget that in Philadelphia, Howard was not an instant success. It took several ratings books – and lots of effort on his part – to penetrate the power of the WMMR fortress back in the ‘80s.
But you know “the rest of the story.” As his syndication network exploded, and he dominated in market after market, the Stern legend deservedly grew. Howard helped many, many stations. And while many became dependent on him, they certainly benefitted for having him on their air. As someone who consulted many Stern stations, I enjoyed success as a result, too.
And then the Sirius phase happened. Howard’s arrival truly saved satellite radio (for the moment) while also making him wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. But it came at a price.
While $100 million dollar payoffs put Stern in a class by himself, it also shrunk his stage – by millions of daily listeners. And where Stern once basked in the “Did you hear what Howard said this morning?” water-cooler talk almost weekly on AM/FM radio, those moments have been few and far between in the Sirius years.
If a tree falls in the forest but only satellite radio subscribers can hear it, that is not a national footprint. On broadcast radio, Howard had more running room and a bigger platform, FCC restrictions and all. And he was a genius at reacting to the inevitable slow times by doing something outrageous, attention-getting, and bigger than life, always vaulting him back in the spotlight. At Sirius, it hasn’t been that easy.
So now comes a whole new phase as a cast member on America’s Got Talent (photo below from Access Hollywood). I have been asked what America might expect from Stern, and what type of impact being on this show may have on his image and popularity. Some are already complaining that he’s talking too much on his radio show about AGT. But Howard has pimped his outside projects to excess for years so this is nothing new.
The probable truth is that becoming a fixture on a network reality TV show will be just the shot in the ass that Stern needs to regain his national mojo. And viewers will see a side of him they never knew was there.
If you’re expecting him to be outrageous, you’d best define your terms. Keep in mind that since Stern left mainstream radio, Americans have been watching Snooki, Ricky Gervais, and Chelsea Handler for years now. From the Kardashians to the Simpsons, we are treated to a daily diet of over-the-top rude behavior, pandering, and freakish gossip. It’s a different world in 2012 than it was in Stern’s FM radio days.
The likelier outcome is that people who think they know Stern may be surprised. Too many people made black and white judgments about Stern and his content decades ago. That’s what led to many of those agency “do not buy” dictates that limited Stern and his broadcast affiliates. Many of those people simply got Stern wrong or took the easy way out.
In the early days of his run at YSP, I took a break from a market visit to have breakfast with my cousins who lived in Philly. They didn’t know who I was consulting, and as we passed the cream cheese around, my male cousin (about 40 at the time) asked me about the identity of my local radio client.
When I told him “WYSP,” he shrugged, but his wife (same age) shrieked, “Is that the station with that horrible, offensive person in the morning?”
As I was about to backpedal and try to change the subject, she began to describe in detail what Howard did that morning… and the morning before… and last week.
And that brings me back to Howard’s roots. I heard first him on W4 in Detroit, and those who have truly listened to him throughout his career know that he’s a truly funny, endearing, ironic, self-deprecating human who has experienced life in ways that none of us can imagine. Howard is truly that “everyman” – someone who was not destined to be a star but who became one anyway. He never should have gotten the girl, but ended up having the pick of the litter. He knows what it’s like to be laughed at, mocked, and told he has no talent.
The broadcast radio industry never bestowed the respect on Stern that he deserved. His legacy is as ground-breaking as any of the radio icons who have been celebrated by the NAB and other industry organizations.
He’s going to be a star on America’s Got Talent. He will be “discovered” by many people. His celebrity status will exponentially grow. And while some members of his cult following may be dismayed or even alienated by his new-found mass appeal, it should be a fun ride for those of us who feel that television – and in particular, reality TV – often sucks.
Howard is headed for a whole new role, and all of America will be around for the ride.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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BRILLIANT piece, Fred. I’ve been a Howard fan since the WRNW days, when I did my college internship there, filling out Crazy Eddie affidavits, and occasionally going on-air with Howard. A lot’s changed since then, but Howard’s still Howard, and I think America will LOVE this guy in this new role.
Thanks, JC. It just might make TV a little interesting. Appreciate you taking the time to comment.