Rumor: Howard Stern About To Sign $600MM Deal With Apple

By

post-72025-image-4f76792c0a4710ad154259642dc2e84d-jpg

Could Apple be planning on signing a deal with legendary radio shock jock Howard Stern to exclusively host a new iTunes show? That’s the rumor amongst Sirius investors, and it’s food for thought, if not terribly likely.

According to the rumor, Howard Stern is about to sign a contract with Apple for $600 million over three years to host a new internet show over iTunes. The move doesn’t make much sense on its own, but if Apple is intending on making a serious push into online radio or television, via iTunes, AirPlay and AppleTV, it makes at least some sense. After all, Stern’s move to satellite radio in early days lent the nascent technology a credence of legitimacy; if Apple is planning on launching their own content network of radio shows and video content, they might be banking on a deal with Stern doing the same thing.

The problem with this rumor though is Apple’s own standards of decency. Time and time again, Apple has pulled content from the App Store that they have deemed objectionable, even in the case of apps lightly caricaturizing public figures. Steve Jobs himself described the iOS experience as one that was about “freedom from porn.” Is Howard Stern really the kind of guy Apple would want to get in bed with a guy who has racked up over $2.5 million in FCC indecency fines to launch a new network?

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.