Usually, complaints to U.S. communications regulators about Howard Stern are aimed at the shock radio personality, not made on his behalf.
But since his move to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., the company has complained to the Federal Communications Commission that Stern's show is being illegally rebroadcast on two stations in New York and New Jersey, a Sirius spokesman said Thursday.
"It's an issue we're addressing and we are educating these people as to our rights," said Patrick Reilly, a spokesman for Sirius. "Given the quality of Howard's show, listening to it on a pirate radio is no way to listen to it."
The FCC had no immediate comment.
Sirius ended last year with 3.3 million subscribers, adding 2.2 million to its rolls, many in anticipation of Stern's arrival.
During his tenure as a radio personality on Viacom Inc.'s Infinity network, his show was responsible for radio stations facing $2.5 million in fines.
Federal regulations bar obscene content from television and radio airwaves and restrict indecent material, such as sexually explicit content and profanity, to late night hours when children are less likely to be listening or watching.
Those rules do not apply to satellite radio services, prompting Stern's switch.
Stern crusaded against the FCC for its crackdown on television and radio stations after pop singer Janet Jackson briefly exposed her breast during the 2004 NFL Super Bowl halftime show.
