The return of the controversial Star to the air Tuesday on WNYZ (87.7 FM, Pulse-87) proves again that radio will eventually welcome back almost any exile it thinks can still draw listeners and make money.

But radio also hasn’t been afraid to get rid of people who can do that - Star, Imus, Bob Grant, Opie & Anthony - if they say something perceived as offensive.

In the long term, says one critic, this cycle could last until “corporations that own media live up to their own standards.”

John Liu, a city councilman from Queens, lit into Clear Channel after the company fired Star in May 2006 for rude remarks on Clear Channel’s WWPR.

Earlier, in January 2005, Liu had blasted Emmis over WQHT’s infamous “Tsunami Song.”

While Liu criticized the hosts in each case, he said yesterday the core issue remains “corporate responsibility.

“No one pickets Howard Stern, because he says up front he’s going to insult and offend people. But Clear Channel promotes itself as a fair-minded company that aims to serve families and the community.”

Ironically, Liu and Star are on the same page here. In a pending lawsuit against Clear Channel, Star contends he was told to do the things for which he was fired.

“Star has some personal responsibility,” said Liu. “But he was acting at the behest of the company. This is not about censorship. It’s about companies being held accountable for doing what they say.”

And have recent firings and sanctions, which many folks in media think have cast a deep shadow of uncertainty over on-air content, cleaned things up?

“We’re not in the clear,” said Liu. “But hopefully we’re addressing the issue.”

Joel Salkowitz admits 87.7 FM isn’t a place most New Yorkers are used to turning for contemporary hit radio. But he thinks that once “The Pulse” (WNYZ) kicks into gear on that frequency Monday, listeners will seek it out.

Right now, WNYZ is playing Russian music, as it has for the several years since it signed on. Come Monday, says Salkowitz, it will be playing “a kind of top 40 with a rhythmic leaning.”

He declines to be more specific, but promises “it will fill a hole. I think it will be a station that people will make a point of finding. It’s like satellite radio - you don’t buy it because you want to pay money for radio, but because it has unique content.”

But the music is only part of what Pulse-87 will be selling. On Monday, Feb. 18, it will bring back Star and Buc Wild as its morning team.

That was supposed to happen a month ago, but Star had a liver transplant. Now, Salkowitz says, all systems are go.

“I can’t believe the energy this guy has after major surgery,” says Salkowitz. “He can’t wait to get back in the game.”

Pulse is happy to have him, Salkowitz adds. “He moved the ratings needle in the morning at two different New York stations - and I think this time you’ll see a side of Star you haven’t seen before.”

Star has said he often had to play a character in his previous gigs at WQHT and WWPR, and that now “I’ll be myself. There will be less hip-hop nonsense.”

Salkowitz says Monday’s sign-on will be relatively low-key. “We’ll establish the music, then probably have a bigger production when Star goes on the air.”

Salkowitz says he’s also talking with other deejays and expects a lineup “soon.”

WNYZ transmits its signal from a low-power TV station, Ch. 6 on Long Island - which has raised some questions about whether it can compete against the likes of powerful WHTZ (100.3 FM).

Salkowitz says the Pulse signal will cover “80%” of the New York market and will be available online for anyone else.

There has also been concern that Arbitron doesn’t measure WNYZ listening, which would make it difficult to sell advertising. But Salkowitz says the station has been talking with Arbitron “and you might hear something in a week or so.”