Coast to Coast AM

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Image:Coast to coast am logo.jpg Coast to Coast AM is a late-night syndicated radio talk show which deals with a variety of topics, but usually ones that relate to the paranormal. It was created by Art Bell, airs seven nights a week 22:00 to 02:00 Pacific Time, and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks.

1 Subject matter and format
2 Hosts
3 Broadcast area
4 Dreamland
5 See also
6 External links

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Subject matter and format

Coast to Coast mostly emphasizes very unusual topics, and is full of personal stories related by callers. While program content varies, most nights are focused towards the paranormal, and subjects such as the occult, remote viewing, hauntings, shadow people, psychic predictions, conspiracy theories, UFOs, cryptozoology and science fiction literature, among other paranormal topics. Since the terrorist attacks carried out in the United States on September 11, 2001, the events of that day (as well as conspiracy theories surrounding them) and current U.S. counter-terrorism strategy have also become frequent themes.

The broadcast is typically kicked off with a reading of current events or news stories by the host, with callers weighing in if time permits. This is usually followed by a lengthy interview with the evening's guest, or hours of open phone lines. Occasionally, roundtable discussions are held on one of the show's common topics.

During hours of "open phone lines", calls are taken and put on air without any screening, at least according to original host Art Bell. The show has multiple call-in numbers, of which there are always at least four: for "east of the Rockies", "west of the Rockies", first-time callers, and finally a "wildcard" line. They are all announced at the beginning of each broadcast by Ross Mitchell. The opening has become infamous enough to be spoofed on the nationally-syndicated Phil Hendrie Show, with Hendrie imitating Mitchell's trademark deep voice and repeating his one phone number for all four lines. On special occasions, Coast to Coast AM rolls out more numbers, including lines that are reserved for special "themed" callers, for example those who claim to be from other dimensions, time periods, and those possessed by spirits.

The Halloween edition of Coast to Coast becomes Ghost to Ghost, as listeners call in with their ghost stories. The New Year's Eve show usually entails listeners calling in their predictions for the coming year, and the host (commonly Art Bell) rating the predictions made a year earlier.

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Hosts

Coast to Coast was created by veteran broadcaster Art Bell. Originally, Bell hosted the program every weeknight and Saturdays from his residence the town of Pahrump, located in Nye County, Nevada (often referred to on the program as The Kingdom of Nye). Bell is a skilled interviewer, drawing out his callers' improbable stories with a poker-faced but confidence-inspiring, "Oh, really?" He has retired and returned to the show many times since 1998; the first "retirement" lasted two weeks, and was brought on by alleged threats against his family. Art Bell's first successor as host of Coast to Coast was Mike Siegel.

In 2001, Siegel stepped down as host due to pressure from Premiere Radio Networks and Bell, as ratings and affiliates fell sharply during his tenure. Bell then returned to weekday hosting duties, only to depart again the following year due to chronic back pain. He was replaced by frequent guest-host George Noory, and the weekday program officially became Coast to Coast AM with George Noory by the end of 2002.

Bell made another comeback in 2003, this time replacing Barbara Simpson and Pia Zadora on the weekend broadcasts. Then in June 2005, he announced that he would be reducing his role to just two Sundays a month, in order to leave more time for traveling with his wife. He also disclosed that Ian Punnett and Hilly Rose would take over the new vacancies. Previously, Rose had been a frequent guest-host of the program, and Punnett had regularly hosted Sunday evening broadcasts years ago. However, with the recent passing of his wife, Ramona Bell, Art has decided to return to the air on both Saturday and Sunday of every weekend, stating in an emotion-filled broadcast on Sunday, 22 January 2006, that he needed to keep busy.

George Noory remains host of the week night editions. He broadcasts from, alternately, Los Angeles, California and St. Louis, Missouri, and has had a continually positive effect on the program's ratings. He has promised listeners that he will "stick around" to host the show until 2012; his wish is to report on whatever might occur in relation to the many predictions of the world ending (or at least changing significantly) that year, as anticipated by the Mayan calendar, alleged bible code, and a number of spiritualist and fantasy writers. Recently, Noory retracted that statement and now says that he will stay until he is "scragged out".

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Broadcast area

Coast to Coast is broadcast on hundreds of United States affiliates, as well as several Canadian affiliates. Coast to Coast's Streamlink offers live Internet feeds of the show by subscription. The program is also broadcast on XM Satellite Radio in the United States, on channel 165. Currently, the XM channel is not available to XM Radio Canada subscribers. A petition was started to convince XM Canada to begin carrying it at: Petition Online

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Dreamland

Dreamland was another Art Bell creation, nearly identical to Coast-to-Coast AM but less caller driven. Bell hosted Dreamland on early Sunday evenings, until he relinquished control of the show to Whitley Strieber. It continued to precede Coast-to-Coast AM on most affiliate stations on Sunday nights but moved to Saturday night (after Clear Channel began to air Matt Drudge) and then dropped the program entirely. It is now heard over the Internet [1] exclusively.

Dreamland continues to focus on many of the same topics as its sister program, although often with a more spiritual point of view, as well as an increased emphasis on extra-terrestrials.

The name Dreamland was, in fact, at one time a radio call sign for the control tower at the United States Air Force base at Groom Lake, Nevada, also known as Area 51.

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