February 13 is World Radio Day. To celebrate, Statista looked at some of the highest-paid radio hosts in the U.S.
Who’s No. 1 on the list? It’s none other than the self-proclaimed “King of All Media” Howard Stern. The famous shock jock earned an estimated $90 million in 2018 before taxes and fees were taken out, Forbes reported. Stern, who became famous for his New York public radio show, now hosts The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM.
Not far behind Stern in earnings was conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who made $84.5 million in 2018. President Donald Trump awarded him the Medal of Freedom at the State of the Union. Trump called the radio host the “greatest fighter” and a winner. Limbaugh, who has a record of spreading conspiracy theories and making racist comments on the air, revealed he advanced lung cancer days before he was given the Medal of Freedom.
“This day has been one of the most difficult days in recent memory, for me, because I’ve known this moment was coming. I’m sure that you all know by now that I really don’t like talking about myself and I don’t like making things about me," Limbaugh, 69, said during his show. “One thing that I know, that has happened over the 31-plus years of this program is that there has been an incredible bond that had developed between all of you and me.”
iHeartMedia host Ryan Seacrest rounded out the top three, earning $74 million in 2018. Fox News star Sean Hannity came in fourth with $36 million and conservative TV host Glenn Beck stumbled into the final five with $8.5 million.
