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I along with hundreds of thousands of others was incredibly disheartened this morning when I turned on WABC and didn’t hear “Coast to Coast AM”. For the better part of my career in radio, I’ve been going to bed with and waking up to “Coast to Coast AM”, first with Art Bell and then with George Noory. It’s untimely (and hopefully temporary) departure from New York radio is nothing short of a slap in the face to every evening radio listener that enjoys thought provoking, fun, creative talk radio that’s different from what you can hear everywhere else. This show is “Theater of the Mind” at it’s finest and now more than ever, I feel as if the station I worked at for 18 years isn’t there anymore and is merely a shell of it’s former self. “Coast to Coast” listeners are by far the most loyal, passionate, and devoted listeners in all of radio—it makes no sense to me either from an advertising perspective or from a ratings perspective to tell these listeners that they matter less than anyone else.
I have nothing but respect for Doug McIntyre. He’s a very good broadcaster and an even better guy, but for anyone to try to fill the shoes of Coast to Coast on the radio is the media equivalent of Johnny Blanchard trying to wear Mickey Mantle’s spikes---it’s not possible. This is a lesson I learned the hard way having tried to take an hour from Art Bell and even trying to knock him off the air on occasion. This brought me a stern rebuke from management and an even bigger sucker punch in the kidneys from the legions of committed “Coast to Coast” followers who demanded to know where there Big Foot update was, if Travis Walton remembered the aliens who abducted him and how time travel would effect their day to day lives. Art Bell is one of the greatest broadcasters to ever speak into a microphone—his unique take on our medium sets him apart as a pioneer. George Noory’s innovative style including news making interviews and parallels to mainstream talk issues give current Coast to Coast listeners the best of both worlds.
I’ve been on before and after Coast to Coast. It’s always been fun. Nothing has ever gotten me going like hearing “Chase” by Giorgio Moroder the anthem which is now synonymous with everyone’s favorite paranormal activity focused show. It’s my sincere hope though that this isn’t the end of New York’s love affair with “Coast to Coast AM”, but a new beginning. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed by time at AM 970 The Apple in the mornings and I would absolutely love to follow Coast to Coast in the mornings here again. I’ve been encouraged that so many Coast to Coast listeners have echoed my sentiments in urging the suits at Salem Media to get on the “Coast to Coast” train and I hope the drumbeat continues. I’ve encouraged the powers that be here at “The Apple” to do whatever they can to see that this grave radio injustice is corrected. I couldn’t disagree more with what some have said about “Coast to Coast AM” being “canned” and “just plain dull”. I think it’s among the finest products radio has to offer. My late nights and early mornings aren’t the same without it and I can’t wait for it’s return. Until then though, I’ll be doing a daily “Loonie Kazoonie from Parts Unknown” update in the wee hours of the morning in tribute to a great show. See you in the Kingdom of Nye. |
