Howard Stern Joins NBC's 'America's Got Talent'

The brash satcaster ended 2010 with a record 20.2 million subscribers, edging Netflix as the second-largest media-subscription business (behind only cable giant Comcast). When Stern announced in 2004 that he would join what was then Sirius Satellite Radio, the company projected its subscribers would grow from 700,000 to 3.7 million by 2006. Thanks largely to Stern, it nearly doubled that estimate; Sirius closed 2006 with more than 6 million subscribers.

UPDATED: The shock jock announced the news on his radio show on Thursday morning.

NEW YORK - Howard Stern has signed a deal to join NBC talent show America's Got Talent as a judge, the shock jock announced on his Sirius XM Radio show on Thursday.

As expected, he will replace CNN host Piers Morgan.

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"It's offical - Howard just signed on the dotted line - he is now the newest judge on America's Got Talent!" said a tweet from the show's Twitter handle @sternshow.

Stern said he will start shooting in February and travel the country for the audition rounds, according to people who buzzed about the news online. The show's live airings will move to New York where Stern is based.

“Howard Stern’s larger-than-life personality will bring a thrilling new dynamic to America’s Got Talent starting this summer,” said Paul Telegdy, president of alternative and late night at NBC, in a release that confirmed the news.

An earlier tweet from Stern's show had said: "Yesterday, Howard met America's Got Talent winner @landaueugenejr . Howard says he's a really nice guy but he still shouldn't have won."

Stern recently said he would be better on the talent show than David Hasselhoff.

The addition of Stern caps off a big week for NBC's reality division, which has delivered much-needed good news for the network. Monday's return of Fear Factor, after its six year hiatus, brought the beleaguered network its best non-sports ratings for the 8pm hour since 2008.

America's Got Talent is produced by FremantleMedia North America and Simon Cowell’s SYCO Television.

Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com

Twitter: @georgszalai