NEW YORK -- Shock jock Howard Stern was suspended Monday from his syndicated show for a day after heavily promoting his move to satellite radio.
Stern spokesman Matt Traub confirmed the suspension from the syndicated show in more than 20 Infinity Broadcasting Corp. markets. It was first reported on the Howard 100 channel carried by Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., where Stern is moving his show next year.
"Howard will not be on the air tomorrow. We expect him back on Wednesday," said Infinity spokeswoman Karen Mateo. Mateo wouldn't call Stern's absence a suspension and declined to comment further. Listeners will hear a compilation of Stern's best shows on Tuesday, she said.
Stern announced his departure last year to Sirius, where he received a $500 million contract to begin in January 2006. Stern boasted an audience of about 12 million and revenues of about $100 million from his morning FM show. His last live radio show for Infinity is set for Dec. 16.
Stern's Howard 100 channel on Sirius said that Stern was suspended for talking too much about his impending move to satellite. Tom Chiusano, general manager of WXRK-FM in New York, where Stern broadcasts his show, announced the suspension as the Stern show was ending Monday morning, the Howard 100 channel reported.
"This is an act of desperation by men who are losing their once-in-a-lifetime franchise," Traub said Monday.
It is not the first suspension for the shock jock. Stern said he was pulled off four Citadel Broadcasting Corp.-run radio stations in January for devoting too much time to his switch to Sirius Satellite Radio.
Last year, Clear Channel announced it was pulling Stern's syndicated show off a half-dozen of its stations because of concerns about possible government fines for indecency. Its announcement came after Clear Channel reached a $1.75 million settlement with the Federal Communications Commission over complaints against Stern and other radio personalities.
Sirius spokesman Patrick Reilly declined comment Monday on the suspension.
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Howard Stern Suspended For Promoting Switch To Satellite :Q