Who can afford Howard Stern?

7:00 PM PST 2/3/2010 by Paul Bond, AP

Jock's Sirius XM deal expires this year, but radio biz hurting

Howard Stern has begun negotiating a new radio contract. Perhaps not technically, but Stern's on-air mentions of his exclusive Sirius XM Radio deal winding down at year's end, and his hedged proclamations of competing offers, are what one insider called his "method of operation."