Art Bell, W6OBB, returns to radio

Art Bell, W6OBB, photo courtest of QRZ.com

Art Bell, W6OBB, photo courtesy of QRZ.com

Radio legend Art Bell, W6OBB, has announced that he will be returning to the air via satellite and Internet streaming starting Monday, September 16, 2013. His new show will be carried by SirusXM Channel 104 Monday through Thursday from 10pm to 1am Eastern time. The new show will be called “Art Bell’s Dark Matter” and will explore the paranormal and unexplained, according to a SiriusXM press release and his website.

At his peak in the late 1990s, Bell’s show Coast To Coast AM had nearly 15 million listeners and was syndicated on 500 AM/FM stations. Since his surprise retirement in October, 1998, he has left and returned to the air a number of times. His most recent hiatus from broadcasting, over 6 years beginning in July, 2007, was the longest break Bell has had from regular broadcasting. Coast To Coast AM did continue after Bell’s retirement, but I honestly never found the new hosts to be as enjoyable — probably because Bell is so talented.

Working overnight shifts in the 1990s, I would enjoy listening to Bell’s show. I enjoyed the sometimes bizarre and almost always intriguing topics he would cover. Listening to the show in the car at 2am had a bit of a spookiness to it. It’s hard to explain.  Maybe someone else can comment on why Bell was so successful.  I can’t be the only one here who listened to his show on a regular basis.

If you’ve never had the chance to listen, you can hear random shows from Bell’s career on a show called Somewhere In Time which features a random show from Bell’s broadcasting career.

I don’t have SiriusXM service, but I may just have to take advantage of their 30-day free trial to hear if Bell still has the radio magic he had 20 years ago.

Matt Thomas, W1MST, is the managing editor of AmateurRadio.com. Contact him at [email protected].

10 Responses to “Art Bell, W6OBB, returns to radio”

  • tom kennedy VA3TVK:

    Listened to him for a long, long while, may try the thirty day free trial also – loved his show also – worked midnights for 27 years

  • Frank K4FMH:

    Wow! This is great news…offsets, just a wee bit, the terrible news that Monitoring Times is ceasing publication in December 2013.

  • Ken Piletic - W9ZMR:

    Wonderful News.
    Since I already have XM, I’ll be able to hear Art for three hours (9PM to Midnight Central). I ‘discovered’ Art in 1996 on C-Band Satellite, and have never missed a broadcast ever since. For some unknown reason, both of Art’s shows, “Coast” and “Dreamland” are not (and were not) broadcast in Chicagoland. With a hundred broadcast stations in Chicago and suburbs, it’s amazing that none are carrying these shows.

    Rumor has it that “Coast” will cease broadcasting on XM (Channel 246)on August 31. Unless something changes, Chicagoland listeners (on XM) will find “Dark Matter” (channel 104)to be the only source for this kind of “news”.

    I’ll be listening to “Dark Matter”, and unfortunately I will miss listening to “Coast” on XM.

  • Robbie JF1UCX:

    Best news I’ve heard in a long, long time. Art’s on Facebook and I get updates from him periodically, but this was a surprise since he had just said he was thinking about coming back to radio, but was concerned about his daughter starting school in September.

    I was lucky to have him read a few of my ideas over the air. That was a thrill, especially with one of his signature songs ramping up in the background (‘Year of the Cat” by Al Stewart).

    So glad he decided to give it another go. Gonna have to get XM just for this.

    Robbie
    Tokyo, Japan
    JF1UCX

  • Greg K7YDL:

    Exciting news!
    XM trial here we come!
    Greg
    Oregon
    K7YDL

  • kl3rc:

    Stumbled across your new show Midnight In The Desert on AM radio station in Anchorage, Alaska. Great to hear you are back.

    73s JIM

  • Ellis W7OBB:

    Have listened to Mr. Art Bell, over AM. Coast to Coast Radio over years of many’ starting in the early 1990s. Do miss Art’s unique programing, including short stories stories of his beautiful departed wife, Ramona.
    Wishing Art Bell, and his family, Blue Skies and green Lights in their part of the world. Thanks for the memories Art! From W7OBB

  • Ellis at W7OBB:

    Hope to hear you back on AM Coast to Coast soon!
    Mr. George Noory’ Well’ he don’t look so good!
    Many of us in the U.S. are from the old school so hurry back soon as you can.
    America misses you Art!
    Wishing you and your family all ( Blue Skies and Green Lights ) in your part of the world. 73s 🙂 Ellis David, from W7OBB Phoenix, Az.

  • W 7 C N S:

    FYI W6OBB has been changed to a NEW Family Call Sign! of W 7 C N S = Wonderful family of Seven’ W 7 / Christopher / Nicholas and Samantha… Merry Christmas to all’ Have an Exciting and Safe New Years’ from Arizona U.S.A. 🙂

  • W 7 C N S:

    OK Again’ FYI This is Ellis David, of W 7 C N S which precedes W 7 O B B

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