Stern’s Influence on Podcasts#
Fig. 1 He Inked a $500m deal with Sirius in 2004. Joe Rogan is one of a few podcasters that have secured deals close to that. They share a lot in common.#
Howard Stern was ahead of the curve in many ways that paved the ground for what podcasts have become, though he didn’t explicitly move into the podcasting world himself. Stern’s influence can be seen in his mastery of long-form, unfiltered, and personality-driven content, which are hallmarks of successful podcasts today.
Here’s why Stern was ahead of his time:
Long-Form Conversations: Stern’s radio interviews were lengthy and in-depth, breaking from the traditional short, promotional interview format of mainstream media. This style is now a cornerstone of many successful podcasts, such as Joe Rogan’s or Marc Maron’s.
Unfiltered Content: Stern pushed boundaries with his candid and sometimes controversial style, offering content that felt raw and authentic—qualities that resonate deeply in the podcasting world.
Building a Personal Brand: Stern cultivated a deeply loyal audience by focusing on his personality and the ensemble dynamic with his co-hosts and guests. Many podcasts have replicated this approach, where the host’s personality becomes the draw rather than just the topics.
Multimedia Pioneering: Even before podcasting exploded, Stern transitioned to SiriusXM, leveraging subscription-based, on-demand content—essentially an early precursor to today’s podcasting monetization models.
Community Engagement: Stern fostered a “fan family” culture, with listeners feeling intimately connected to him and his team. Podcasts often aim to create this same sense of inclusivity and belonging among their audiences.
While Stern never pivoted into the podcasting format, his influence on the evolution of talk-driven audio media is undeniable. Stern was not just ahead of the curve—he helped shape the curve that podcasters are riding today.
Dionysian Upheavel Amidst Apollonian Tradition#
Stern’s unfiltered approach was a Dionysian upheaval, shattering the overly curated, Apollonian veneer of traditional media. In an era dominated by sanitized cable formats and rigid gatekeeping, Stern unleashed a torrent of raw humanity—messy, provocative, and deeply authentic. He didn’t just “open a network”; he tore apart the sterile hierarchy of content production, revealing the chaotic, flawed, and fascinating underbelly of modern culture.
This deluge didn’t merely entertain—it empowered. Stern’s openness validated conversations and topics that mainstream outlets deemed inappropriate or insignificant. By doing so, he opened a “can of worms,” forcing society to confront taboos, hypocrisies, and uncomfortable truths. Whether through candid discussions about sexuality, celebrity vulnerability, or his own insecurities, Stern created a space where the personal and the profane could coexist—challenging listeners to reevaluate their own boundaries.
Stern’s chaotic energy, however, wasn’t without structure. His ensemble dynamic—Robin Quivers as a grounding force, the antics of Artie Lange, and Stern’s own self-reflection—provided a Dionysian dance of tension and release, a ritual that turned chaos into meaning. It’s no wonder that this style laid the groundwork for the podcasting world, where similar unfiltered exchanges now thrive.
The real genius, though, was in how Stern exposed the artificiality of media itself. By embracing the raw, the vulnerable, and even the absurd, he showed audiences that authenticity didn’t have to be polished—it just had to be real. In doing so, Stern didn’t just anticipate the rise of podcasts; he helped manifest the cultural shift that made them possible.