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Radio host Howard Stern sings during a news conference Wednesday, April 1, 1998, in New York where it was announced he'll launch an hour long television show in August. Broadcast on 12 CBS-owned television stations, "The Howard Stern Show" will compete directly with NBC's "Saturday Night Live." Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling, a regular on Stern's show, laughs at left. AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler

Stern to take on 'SNL'

Web posted April 2, 1998

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- The self-proclaimed ``King of All Media'' is taking on ``Saturday Night Live.''

Raunchy radio host Howard Stern will launch an hour-long television show on 12 CBS-owned television stations in August, directly competing with NBC's Saturday night comedy institution at 11:30.

```Saturday Night Live' has ceased being funny ... and maybe it's time to have an alternative,'' Stern said at a news conference today.

``The Howard Stern Show'' will be taped and be similar to the show he produces for E! Entertainment Television, which Stern will continue. Both shows are set in the radio studio where he broadcasts his nationally syndicated show.

Stern said he won't have to clean up his act for broadcast on CBS stations.

``CBS is the Tiffany Network but I sat down and thought about it, and you know what, Tiffany is a stripper's name,'' Stern said. ``Television is ready for someone like me.''

The show is not immediately being offered to the more than 200 CBS affiliates, some of which may be reluctant to take on Stern's humor. Instead, it will start at 12 of the 14 CBS-owned stations and will eventually be sold to other stations that want it.

Initially, the show will air in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.