By Lukas I. Alpert, Associated Press, 12/15/00
NEW YORK -- After straddling the fence for months and keeping his millions of fans wringing their hands, radio shock-jock Howard Stern finally announced Friday that he has signed a new five-year deal to keep his nationally-syndicated program on the air.
Stern, whose contract with Infinity Broadcasting was set to expire at the end of the year, brought his negotiations down to the wire. He signed the agreement one day before he was set to go on vacation through the end of the year.
"Up until 4:42 yesterday I had no contract. I was really on the fence," Stern told reporters in an on-air press conference. "But in the end, I couldn't see walking away from this."
Stern, who was joined on air by Viacom president Mel Karmazin, admitted that he had to think long and hard about his future during the past months. He had said repeatedly during his show that Friday could be his last show ever.
"In the end, I couldn't see walking away from this," he said.
Despite such soul-searching, Stern quickly reverted to his usual, brash style, saying that prior to signing he had thought about kicking Karmazin -- whose company owns Infinity -- in a sensitive spot.
He later asked a female Fox News reporter to don a skimpy, orange bikini. She demurred.
Stern refused to disclose the details of the deal despite incessant queries, but admitted that financial issues were at the heart of the disagreement.
When asked what he would do with the extra money, Stern quipped, "Do what I always do -- give it to my wife."
Stern and his wife of 21 years separated last year.
Stern's nationally syndicated show remains the No. 1-rated morning show in New York City by a wide margin despite a sharp dip in spring 2000.
Outside New York, his numbers are not as strong. In several markets, Arbitron figures have shown his audience eroding -- particularly in Los Angeles, where Stern lost 20 percent of his listeners over the last two years.
Stern brushed aside suggestions that the drawn-out contract negotiations were a ploy at bolstering his market share.
"I will swear on the life of my children that this was no publicity stunt," he said. "I would never do that to my audience."
