Media Refugee Howard Stern Gets Big Bonus

In a story reported by the New York Post, Howard Stern was awarded almost 83 million dollars bonus for his first year anniversary with Sirius Satellite Radio. The bonus was tied to Stern's increasing subscribers by two million customers. The total compensation for the Shock Jock's first year since leaving main stream radio is way over the top mega millions.

Stern's five year contract with Sirius provided a salary of 400 million. In January he received 200 million dollars in stock. The current 83 million in Sirius stock makes Sterns the richest DJ in the world. Granted some of the millions goes to agents, staff and a new building to house the show, but it still remains a sweet deal.

It is particularly sweet for a guy whose sole ambition it is to blast the airways with uncensored %@&? about any subject that strikes a chord with his listeners. It pays to listen to your listeners is the moral of the story. Sterns is not required to report his stockcompensation to the SEC, however the New York Post states he sold nearly 17 million of the 56.5 million shares he was awarded by Sirius in 2006. These figures were derived from deducting the total number of stocks awarded and comparing the figures to a filing yesterday by Sirius with the SEC of the Stern's holdings in the company.

Currently, Sirius Satellite Radio the company isn't doing as well. From January 11, 2006 to January 10, 2007 Sirius stock is down over 42 per cent, with a 52 week high of $6.51 and a low of $3.50. Today Sirius is up nine pennies at $3.80. in a mixed day of trading on Wall Street.