Stern began his radio career in the mid-1970s and developed his show through morning positions at 107.1 WRNW in Briarcliff Manor, New York, 106.9 WCCC-FM in Hartford, Connecticut, and 106.7 WWWW in Detroit. In 1981, he began at 101.1 WWDC-FM in Washington, D.C. where he was first paired with Quivers and became a ratings success. That was followed by three years at AM 660 WNBC in New York City. After his abrupt firing, Stern moved to WXRK where he remained for 20 years until December 2005. During this time, "The Howard Stern Show" was syndicated to 60 radio markets and gained an audience of 20 million listeners at its peak. In the New York area, it was the highest-rated morning radio program from 1994 to 2001. The show is also the most fined, after a total of $2.5 million in fines were issued by the Federal Communications Commission for what it deemed indecent material. In 2004, Stern signed a five-year contract with Sirius worth a reported $500 million.