Coast to Coast AM
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Coast to Coast AM is a late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but usually ones that relate to the paranormal. It airs seven nights a week and is distrubuted by Premiere Radio Networks.
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Subject Matter & 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, hauntings, shadow people, psychic predictions, conspiracy theories, UFOs and science fiction literature. Since the terrorist attacks carried out in the United States on September 11, 2001, the events of that day and current U.S. anti-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. Occassionally, roundtable discussions are held on one of the show's common topics.
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.
Hosts
Coast to Coast was created by broadcaster Art Bell, who has hosted the program from his residence in Nye County, Nevada (often referred to on the program as The Kingdom of Nye). A veteran of talk radio, Bell has retired and returned to the show a number of times since 1998, due to personal crisis and health problems. That, in addition to its being broadcast every night of the week, has resulted in multiple reoccurring personalities:
- Ian Punnet and Barbara Simpson regularly subbed for Bell on the weekends, with Punnett eventually leaving the show to become a minister.
- Upon Bell's initial departure in 1998, he was replaced by Mike Siegel until 2001.
- George Noory became the show's weekday host in 2002, when back problems again forced Bell to leave. Barbara Simpson became the regular weekend host.
Currently, George Noory hosts the program from Los Angeles five nights out of the week. 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 writers.
Art Bell runs the show on Saturday and Sunday evenings, having returned yet again in 2003 to replace Simpson as the weekend host.
When neither Noory or Bell is available, Coast to Coast is usually guest-hosted by Hilly Rose.
Dreamland
Dreamland, another Art Bell creation, is a similar radio program hosted by Whitley Strieber. It once preceded Coast to Coast AM on most affiliate stations, but is now heard over the Internet and XM Satellite radio almost exclusively.
Dreamland focuses 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 is, in fact, a reference to one of the nicknames for Area 51.
External links
- Official website (http://www.coasttocoastam.com/)nl:Coast to Coast
- Whitley Strieber's Dreamland (http://www.unknowncountry.com/dreamland/)