Stern Suspended for Promoting Satellite Radio

Howard Stern received a one-day suspension Monday after heavily promoting his move to satellite radio.

“We expect him back on Wednesday,” said Karen Mateo, a spokeswoman for Infinity Broadcasting Corp., which carries Stern’s syndicated show in more than 20 markets. Infinity is a unit of media giant Viacom Inc.

She wouldn’t call Stern’s absence a suspension and declined to comment further. Listeners will hear a compilation of Stern’s best shows today, she said.

But Stern’s spokesman, Matt Traub, called it a paid suspension.

“This is an act of desperation by men who are losing their once-in-a-lifetime franchise,” Traub said Monday.

The suspension was first reported on the Howard 100 channel carried by Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., where the shock jock is moving his show next year. It said Stern was suspended for talking too much about his impending move to satellite.

Stern announced last year that he was moving to Sirius, from which he received a $500-million contract to begin in January. Stern boasts an audience of about 12 million and revenue of about $100 million from his morning radio show. His last live radio show for Infinity is scheduled for Dec. 16.

Sirius spokesman Patrick Reilly declined to comment Monday.