ART BELL TO RETIRE

10-24-2

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Radio host Art Bell, famed for his lengthy discussions on creepy conspiracy theories, will announce his retirement on air in the wee hours of Thursday, his syndicator Premiere Radio Networks Inc. said Wednesday.

Plagued with ongoing back problems, Bell, 57, will name guest host George Noory, 52, as his successor during his overnight radio show, "Coast to Coast AM."

The popular show, which has developed a cult following and is touted as the most listened to overnight radio program in the country, features Bell offering insights on anything from UFO sightings to FBI conspiracy theories and crop circles.

The program was created by Bell in 1993 and currently airs on 525 stations nationwide live from 1-6 a.m. ET, according to Premiere, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications Inc., the nation's largest radio broadcaster.

This is not the first time Bell -- who plans to serve as an occasional guest host -- has left the air.

He returned to the air in February 2001 following a lengthy absence after being falsely accused of child molestation.

Bell announced he would depart to tend to his son, who had been molested, according to reports, but the host found himself in the middle of a firestorm when another radio announcer incorrectly suggested on air that Bell himself had been charged with the crime.

Bell's teen-age son had been abducted and molested by one of his high school teachers and Bell had refused to discuss the sensitive issue on the air, according to reports.

The teacher was later convicted and sentenced to prison, according to reports.

"Coast to Coast AM" will continue its current broadcast schedule, which features Bell for three nights, Noory for three nights and host Barbara Simpson for one night until Dec. 31, 2002.

As of January 1, Noory will host the show five nights a week, with Simpson hosting on weekends.

Since 1997, Noory has been the host of a late-night program in St. Louis, which is similar to "Coast to Coast AM."

Known as "the Nighthawk," listeners have regularly tuned in to hear Noory discuss unexplained phenomena, Premiere said.

www.rense.com...


He will be missed !

I have something to say about this announcement.

Although some of you think Art has lost his touch, as I think, that he no longer talks about the more �controversial� issues, but he deserves respect. This man changed my life, if I had not heard him that night five years ago and sat down to listen, I would not be where I am today. I would not have prepared myself and others for Y2K in the means I did, I would not have looked into what these apparent alien are and have been doing, I would not have heard about the dangers in some of our foods, I would not know what or have practiced to some extent of the power of the mind in Remote Viewing or participated in �experiments� that changed weather fronts direction or amount of rainfall where it would not have had occurred, I would not have become mystified by crop circles or become concerned and proactive about the current state of our environment on planet earth, I would not have become as intrigued in the political situation that transpired in the fall of 2000 and would not have questioned the results of the election and progressed by political beliefs to what they are today with out the frame work and basis of it from Mr. Bell. He is a man that has changed lives, given people something to listen to that is not just any radio show. What he did, has been one of the greatest services to our country ever. He has done more for the average person who listens to make them think about what is happening around them more than anything. I will surly miss him as well, but I doubt George will adequately replace him, no one can without the commitment that he showed for his listeners.

I had the greatest pleasure of meeting him in New York in January of 2000, where I met a man that I will never forget how he moved me to become the productive citizen I have become. That day, was the first and last time I went and traveled to New York and visited with World Trade Center with it�s spectacular view. Mr. Bell certainly has had an effect on me more than any single person in any single way.

He will be remembered forever in our hearts and thoughts, especially mine.

�From the high desert and the great American southwest, I bid you all good evening or good morning, wherever you may be across this great land of ours, from the Hawaiian and Teheian Islands in the west, eastward to the Caribbean and the US Virgin Islands, south into South America, north all the way to the pole, and worldwide on the internet, this is Coast to Coast AM, good morning, I am Art Bell...�

He will be missed! I used to listen to him years ago and is how I became more and more interested in all things ATS. You're right - he did stop w/ a lot of the controversial stuff and his programming became more and more boring - not to mention all the commercials on his show. His website used to be decent also - now it looks like he wants to charge for a message board. That all said, he's always been a mainstay in this sort of stuff and though he's had better days than of late I too will miss him.

[Edited on 31-10-2002 by Bob88]

I know he will be missed by the outside world. But I consider myself lucky. Art will have more time to contribute to his own radio station KNYE 95.1 F.M. Which means I will hear him even more! If something big comes up I'll surely let everyone know at the ATS.

To all those Art Bell fans out there.... we invite you to post your goodbye message for Art Bell at the Coast Zone:

www.coastzone.com...

Regards,

R.A.H.