Mel Karmazin 'Very Confident' Howard Stern Will Renew With Sirius XM

Mel Expects Him Back

SIRIUS XM RADIO CEO MEL KARMAZIN told the BANK OF AMERICA/MERRILL LYNCH MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS AND ENTERTAINMENT CONFERENCE that he is "very confident" that the company will sign HOWARD STERN to a new deal with the company.

The LOS ANGELES TIMES reports that KARMAZIN called STERN "a fabulous partner" who "has enabled companies to make a lot of money," and noted that the company has renewed deals with OPRAH WINFREY and MARTHA STEWART and is close to renewing with the NFL, but, noting that if STERN leaves and takes some subscribers with him, the subscribers "may have come for HOWARD, they may love HOWARD ... but they listen to other channels."

STERN's five-year deal with the satellite service expires at the end of the year, and STERN has been talking on the air about his ambivalence towards a new deal. KARMAZIN would not say what STERN's contract demands are, but said the host is "compensated very fairly."

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