Howard Stern Bids Farewell to traditional radio

On Friday morning, Howard Stern signed off of traditional radio for the last time, ending more than two decades of great entertainment.

The self-proclaimed King of All Media signed off with a over-the-top midtown Manhattan party for thousands of fans - some of whom came from as far away as Ohio and many of whom had to get out of bed by 4 a.m. to even get close to the stage New York Times reports. The morning was capped by a "victory lap" through Times Square where Stern stood atop a double-decker bus.

"We broke every rule known to radio and mankind and I'm proud of that," Stern shouted to supporters from an outdoor stage.

"And I don't think this ride is over yet. Let the freedom bell be rung, and let it be rung by a stripper!

"We beat then at their own game, we figured out how to do it," he said. "Change the rules, break the chains, the last of a dying breed."

Stern rocked the broadcasting world in October 2004 when he signed a five-year contract with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. reportedly valued at $500 million.

Stern has two entire channels with Sirius, which is not regulated by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and charges subscribers $13 a month for more than 100 channels.

Come Jan. 9, when he starts at Sirius, an estimated 3 million people will be able to listen, not the roughly 10 million who tuned in on free radio.

However, the Sirius audience will be able to hear the old Stern, the one who got women to show their breasts, who talked a guy down from jumping off the George Washington Bridge, and who was a radio friend on 9/11 writes NYDN

"Let the freedom bell be rung, and let it be rung by a stripper," Stern said. "I'm coming across America."

By Fabien Montique posted time [11:38 AM] (1)