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Howard Stern says CBS boss has "vendetta"

Posted on: Tuesday, 28 February 2006, 16:29 CST

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ribald U.S. radio host Howard Stern said on Tuesday CBS chief Les Moonves is pursuing a personal vendetta against him because the network's radio fortunes have plunged since he left to join satellite radio.

In a preemptive strike against an expected lawsuit from his former employer, Stern said CBS Corp had sent him letters saying he struck a secret deal with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., used CBS air time to promote Sirius and hurt CBS financially.

CBS declined immediate comment on the potential lawsuit.

"I'm offended. I really do think this is a personal vendetta. Les has had it in for me for a long time. I don't deserve it," Stern told a news conference.

The New York Post reported the lawsuit would seek $500 million from Stern.

The hugely popular Stern shocked the broadcasting world in October 2004 when he signed a five-year deal with Sirius reportedly valued at $500 million. In January, he began broadcasting on Sirius, where his locker room humor fills two entire channels.

He broadcast for CBS Radio until days before his switch and relentlessly spoke of that move as it neared.

Stern was replaced by former Van Halen rock group lead singer David Lee Roth, whose ratings have paled in comparison, according to media reports.

"They're floundering," Stern said, adding that talk of a suit was meant as a distraction from CBS Radio's problems.

Stern said he had a meeting with Moonves and CBS Radio chief executive Joel Hollander about three weeks ago to discuss their complaints.

"I said, 'Les, what's going on?"' said Stern. "He said it's nothing personal, it's just business. But ... it is personal."

Stern's move to Sirius, touted more than a year in advance, was seen as a bold bid by the fledgling satellite radio business to attract some of his millions of fans as paying subscribers.

Stern said his move garnered much media attention and CBS added to it, booking him for appearances on its news magazine show "60 Minutes" and "Late Show with David Letterman."

"I made them millions of dollars. If I was hurting them why did they keep me on the air for 14 months?" Stern said. "How can you have it both ways?"

He said he asked Moonves why he did not pull him off the air. "Les said, 'I knew I could sue you later,"' Stern said.

Source: REUTERS

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