Coast to Coast AM
| File:Coast to coast am logo.jpg | |
| Genre | Talk show |
|---|---|
| Running time | 175 minutes, 20 seconds |
| Country of origin |  United States  Canada  Philippines |
| Home station | Syndicated: 500+ affiliates |
| Hosted by | George Noory Ian Punnett (Saturdays) Art Bell (stand-in) George Knapp (Sundays) |
| Created by | Art Bell |
| Original release | 1984 – present |
| Opening theme | "The Chase (Theme from Midnight Express)" by Giorgio Moroder |
| Ending theme | "Inca Dance" by Cusco "Listening to Coast to Coast" by UFO Phil (Fridays) "Hands of Time" by Groove Armada (Shows hosted by Punnett) "Midnight in the Desert" by Crystal Gayle (Bell-hosted shows) |
| Website | www.coasttocoastam.com |
| Podcast | Streamlink |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2009) |
Coast to Coast AM is a North American (US and Canada) late-night syndicated radio talk show which deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate either to the paranormal, or to alleged conspiracies. It was created by Art Bell, airs seven nights a week 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks.
Format and subject matter
Coast to Coast AM covers unusual topics, and is full of personal stories related by callers. While program content varies, most nights are focused toward the paranormal, and subjects such as the occult, remote viewing, hauntings, shadow people, psychic predictions, metaphysics, conspiracy theories, UFOs, crop circles, cryptozoology, hollow earth theory and science fiction literature, among other paranormal and unusual 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. George Noory also takes interest in the 2012 Doomsday prediction, and believes something will happen.
After the theme song is played (Giorgio Moroder's "The Chase" from Midnight Express,) the broadcast is typically kicked off with a reading of current events or news stories by the host, usually with at least one bizarre or peculiar story. This is usually followed by a guest interview for the rest of the first hour (with open phone lines if there is enough time), then a lengthier three-hour interview with a second guest. For the last hour of the show, people may call in to ask questions of the second guest. Every so often, host George Noory will flip the show's format and have the longer interview guest on first to fill the first three hours of the show. In this format, the primary interview begins after the reading of the news and then the first break. In the last hour in this "flipped" format, the last hour will sometimes feature guest with a shorter subject or, more often than not, be simply an hour of open lines. Occasionally, round table discussions are held on one of the show's common topics. Conventional topics are sometimes discussed, with interviews with notable authors and political talk sometimes featured.
On rare occasions, hosts have cut interviews short when it became clear that guests were being dishonest, unethical, unintelligible, abusive, or patronizing. When this happens, the rest of the show will be filled with open lines. Guests that have interviews cut short due to bad phone connections for example, or at the last minute becoming unavailable are generally rescheduled for a later date.
Some guests have been challenged. However, the overall tone of the show is generally friendly toward paranormal and fringe views, and apart from panel discussions and advertised debates, guests are generally free to air their views unopposed.
In 2008, George Noory volunteered an elaboration of the show's policy respecting the controversial opinions of regular guests. He explained that, provided there was no element of hostility toward third parties, it was program policy to allow expression of opinion unchallenged. He gave as an example Richard C. Hoagland's contention that features on Mars are artificial, constructed by a civilization that once inhabited the planet. Noory accepted that this opinion has no support whatsoever in the planetary science community, but said that Coast to Coast AM exists in part to provide a forum for such eccentric ideas. He added that, since guests are never paid appearance fees, it is inevitable that promotion of books, videos, and web sites is often a motivation for guests to sacrifice a night's sleep.
During hours of "open lines", calls are taken and put on air. Under George Noory, open lines have added topics for callers to share their experiences or stories about a particular issue or situation. The show has multiple call-in numbers for:
- "East of the Rockies"
- "West of the Rockies"
- "First-time callers"
- "International callers"
- A "wild card" line
As of 2007, George Noory has added a "Special Line", which is a dedicated line, with varying subjects, such as the "People who are Aliens," "Time Travelers," "Area 51 personnel," etc.
They are all announced at the beginning of each broadcast by Ross Mitchell. 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 AM becomes Ghost to Ghost AM, 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. In recent years, the host of the New Year's Eve prediction show has been cautioning the open line callers that they may not predict the assassination of any person or the death of the US president.
Hosts
George Noory hosts the show weekdays, and the first Sunday of every month. Ian Punnett hosts Saturday nights, and the second Sunday of every month. George Knapp hosts the 3rd and 4th Sunday of each month, and when there is a 5th Sunday, Art Bell or a fill-in hosts the show.
Former hosts
Mike Siegel hosted the show from April 2000 until February 2001. He became a frequent substitute of the show's host, Art Bell in late 1999, and when Bell announced his retirement in early 2000, he recommended Siegel to succeed him.[1] Siegel maintained the format of the show that Art Bell had created, but his personal style was very different, and the show became less popular. Siegel hosted the show from Seattle, Washington, where he lived. Early in 2001, Bell decided to return, and Siegel left the show.
Other past hosts include Hilly Rose, Barbara Simpson, Whitley Strieber and (on a rotating basis) Rollye James.
Broadcast area
Coast to Coast AM is broadcast on over 500 United States affiliates, as well as numerous Canadian affiliates, several of which stream the show on their station's website. The show's Streamlink service offers live Internet feeds of the show by subscription. The program is also broadcast on XM Satellite Radio in the United States, on Talk Radio 165, for 11 hours per day. Currently, the XM channel is not available to XM Radio Canada subscribers due to Canadian content regulations limiting content produced outside of Canada. In addition, due to XM Satellite Radio's operational assistance agreement with Clear Channel, Coast to Coast AM is forbidden from broadcasting on Sirius Satellite Radio.
The show's complete schedule can be found on its website. Because the show is so frequently repeated, audible cue signals are inserted at the beginning and end of commercial breaks, to facilitate substitution of commercials by local stations.
Guests
| Sylvia Browne | Self-promoted psychic and former frequent guest, currently banned for her role in the program's live coverage of the Sago Mine disaster.[2] |
| Loren Coleman | Cryptozoologist and author on issues relating to new animal discoveries and the sightings of Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, and other cryptids. |
| Peter Davenport | Ufologist and head of the National UFO Reporting Center. |
| Lionel Fanthorpe | Author, director of Media Studies at Cardiff Academy, president of the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena, and president of the British UFO Research Association. |
| Joseph P. Farrell | Theologian who discusses secret history and pseudoarcheology. |
| Stanton Friedman | Former nuclear physicist and current author and ufologist who focusing on the Roswell UFO Incident. |
| Bruce Goldberg | Hypnotherapist who discusses, among other things, interdimensional travel, past lives and the power sources of ancient Atlantis. |
| Rosemary Ellen Guiley | Author who discusses paranormal, visionary, and spiritual topics. |
| Richard C. Hoagland | Discusses issues relating to NASA's activities, space anomalies and alleged extraterrestrial architecture (the Face on Mars and obelisks on the Moon). |
| Linda Moulton Howe | Reporter and ufologist. |
| Alex Jones | New World Order conspiracy theorist, filmmaker and political activist. |
| Michio Kaku | Mainstream theoretical physicist who typically discusses topics involving string theory, quantum physics, astrophysics, and other hard sciences. |
| Steve Kates ("Dr. Sky") | Astronomy journalist who discusses planetary events and weather patterns. |
| Evelyn Paglini | Parapsychologist who is a self-promoted psychic and witch. |
| Steve Quayle | Discusses giants, global security (especially with regard to giants), "weather weapons" and terrorism. |
| Louis Turi | Self-promoted author, hypnotherapist, "astro-psychologist" and motivational speaker. |
| Joshua P. Warren | Author and filmmaker who discusses cryptids and psychic phenomena as well as ghosts, which he relates with UFOs. |
| David Wilcock | Professional lecturer and filmmaker who discusses ancient civilizations, consciousness, and new paradigms of matter and energy. |
| Andrew Wingate | Priest of the North American Old Catholic Church and a self-promoted End Times prophet. |
| Glynis McCants | The "Numbers Lady" |
Other associated shows
Several shows associated with Coast to Coast AM have aired in the slot immediately preceding the late Saturday night edition of the program, from 6-10 PM Pacific time.
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 Premiere Radio began to syndicate Matt Drudge) and then dropped the program entirely. It is now heard over the Internet, exclusively at UnknownCountry.com.
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.
Coast to Coast Live
Upon Art Bell's January 2006 return, Ian Punnett hosted Coast To Coast Live on Saturdays from 9 pm to 1 am Eastern Time. A spin-off of the original Coast to Coast AM, the show covered similar topics as its flagship program. With Bell's July 2007 retirement, Coast to Coast Live was discontinued, with Punnett returning to host the regular Saturday edition.
Art Bell, Somewhere in Time
Replacing Coast to Coast Live in the late Saturday time slot is a series of reruns of classic Art Bell episodes of Coast to Coast AM, under the name of "Somewhere in Time."
Newsletter
The radio show publishes a monthly newsletter for subscribers called After Dark. It discusses matters covered on the show. It has fourteen inner pages and approximately 46% of the fourteen pages are illustrations and photos, rather than text. The front cover is artwork and the back cover is a list of recent shows.
See also
References
- ^ Judith Michaelson (April 11, 2000). "Veteran Talk-Show Host Mike Siegel to Succeed Bell". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05.
- ^ Friedman, Roger (January 5, 2006). "TV Psychic Misses Mark on Miners". FOX News. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- Dotinga, Randy (February 2, 2006). "Coast to Coast AM Is No Wack Job". Wired News. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
- Corliss, Richard (August 9, 1999). "The X Phones". TIME Magazine. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - Jaroff, Leon (April 14, 1997). "THE MAN WHO SPREAD THE MYTH". TIME Magazine. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - Davis, Pamela (January 1, 2001). "10 years to grow, 1 snip to go". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
- Dakss, Brian (November 8, 2002). "Pentagon Photos Whodunnit". CBS News. Retrieved April 19, 2007.