WNBC New York (1982–1985)Stern started on WNBC in September 1982, working from 4–8 pm.[22] Management, however, worried about its corporate image and Stern's risqué personality, and told him to lay off sexual and religious discussions.[23] Within his first month at the station, Stern was suspended for several days for a controversial segment known as "Virgin Mary Kong." The skit featured a new video game by God in which a group of men chase the Virgin Mary around a singles bar in Jerusalem.[23] In February 1983, comedian Jackie Martling was hired to make weekly appearances as a comedy writer. With his "on-the-fly" style, he would provide jokes for show bits such as "Stump the Comedian,"
"Match Game" and "Mama Looka Boo Boo Day."[12] Martling would assume his role full-time in August 1986 for an initial $1,500 per-week having replaced Al Rosenberg, who would commute from Washington, D.C.[14] On September 4, 1984, Gary Dell'Abate, part of the station's traffic department, began as the show's assistant who later became executive producer.
The quarterly Arbitron ratings throughout 1984 showed a rise in Stern's popularity. Having moved shifts to 3–7 pm, he attracted an audience share of 3.8% in the spring, which grew to 4.2% in the summer and 4.6% in the autumn.[24][25] The show was popular among males aged between 18 and 34, a highly-marketable demographic for advertisers.[25] In 1985, Stern acquired a 5.7% market share, the highest rating at the station in four years.[26] He took the station's ranking in afternoons from eleven to first place in three years.[23] Among the success, tension between management and Stern grew further. On September 30, 1985, the show was cancelled due to what management termed as "conceptual differences" between themselves and Stern regarding his show.[12] Stern later believed that Thornton Bradshaw, at the time chairman of RCA which then owned WNBC, was driving in his limousine having heard his on-air "Bestiality Dial-a-Date" segment, and ordered his firing.[23] "Over the course of time, we made a very conscious effort to make Stern aware that certain elements of the program should be changed", said program director John Hayes, whom Stern called "The Incubus." "I don't think it's appropriate to say what those specifics were."[27]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Howard_Stern_Show
See its not fiction. Its the facts!
