Has Sirius Satellite Radio’s estimated $100 million annual pay package to top U.S. radio shock jock Howard Stern paid off for Howard? Here’s how Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin puts it:

In his words, at the Reuters Media Summit in New York:

“Howard would say that we had 600,000 subscribers (in December 2005) and we now went to 6.3 million (subscribers). Well, over 5 million people subscribe to Sirius paying $12.95 a month or $130 a year times 5 million (additional new subscribers after Stern joined) … So gee, based on Howard, you (Sirius) brings in $500 million a year and you only pay me (Howard) $100 million. (Howard would say,) ‘I didnt do so well in getting paid.’”

Stern Effect’s impact for Sirius:
“Some of the geniuses on the sell-side (analysts on Wall Street) said the Stern Effect would be in December (2005). And then when we had a great January, they said it kicked over to January. Then they said, when we came out with our first quarter 2006 (financial report) … the Stern Effect is for 06. Then when we said what about the second quarter? Well thats the Stern Effect still. Then when I mentioned to you the third quarter retail net adds (net additional subscriber additions) were, thats the Stern Effect. Well, I believe the Stern Effect, like any other content, is going to be there whenever the consumer is going into the store to make a decision on which product to buy.”

There you have it. The Stern Effect is like The Force of radio.

Click player below to hear his comments.