Howard Stern yesterday read out a memo that he claimed Clear Channel had sent its US radio stations regarding the opportunity offered by the shock jock's departure from his Infinity syndicated radio show.
According to the New York Post, the memo read out by Stern ran thus: "Listeners won't necessarily gravitate to our shows just because [Stern replacement] David Lee Roth pulled an all-nighter at Scores and came in drunk and stupid again. We already know most male listeners are a pissed-off group to begin with. This audience, lightning-quick to judge and critique, will be very difficult to win over. Howard's audience will have their BS meters set up on super-sensitive. It may be a mistake for your developing morning show to suddenly go from a seven-song clock to three songs and attempt to appeal to Stern fans unless that show is truly ready to deliver quality material with a reduced-song-count structure".
The not entirely impartial Stern didn't seem convinced Clear Channel, or his current employers Infinity, would be able to win over the audience he hopes to take with him to his new channel on the less government-regulated satellite radio network Sirius. Commenting on the memo he said: "What they leave out is that all of the Clear Channel DJs-and the Viacom DJs-all have to bow to the FCC. It ain't happening".