Art Bell Quits Dark Matter

[indigoo]

The longer you live, the less willing you are to tolerate stupidity and bullshit, no matter who it pisses off.

I know that I reached that point in my life right around 50, so stupid shit like a web-service dropping off in the middle of a show, when the only excuse for that is a lack of foresight and competence, is something that would take me about 3-seconds to refuse to 'accept' as status quo.

There's a degree of patience when it comes to technology, because it could be any number of things.

[swler007]

THIS is what pisses me off the most. I think the build up to the show lasted longer than the show itself!

Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis is alright. He's a actor/voice actor so he is pretty entertaining to listen to. He really needs to get more guests though.

[indigoo]

Awesome. Thanks.

There's also Mysterious Universe.

http://mysteriousuniverse.org/

[Jackstar]

http://thecrowhouse.com/radio.html


Australian blah blah blah, I like it and you will too!

[bateman]

Can't wait! I immediately thought of your new show after the grieving subsided with yesterday's news. Your Tobias McGriff interview was great.

Thank you! Yeah, I'm excited to continue these.

[ringthane]

Anyone else think the topics/guests in the paranormal/fringe radio genre are getting pretty stale?

They've been stale. Art usually made it interesting.

One of the reasons why I quit listening to C2C... stale genre handled by an insipid, oatmeal-mouthed host. Can't count the times I would go to the C2C site to look at the show's upcoming schedule and the guest was some bland paranormal/new age/spiritual/quasi-quantum bullshit blend.

[BillW50]

True.

It also occurs to me, after reflecting upon Art repeatedly saying that he was prepared to give up on America and flee to the Philippines (during the short existence of Dark Matter), that if he is so quick to give-up on his own nation, why would he not be so quick to give up on his own show?

Yup, that's Art unfortunately. Imagine what he would have become if he ever grew up?

[Manticore]

And there is http://www.VeritasRadio.com with Mel Fabregas, which has similar guests to Dark Matter and Coast to Coast.

[aldousburbank]

I think art is going to take queen's bishop. 3 moves.

2 moves to go people.

[RealCool Daddio]

2 moves to go people.

Didn't Art knock the board off the table last night?

[swler007]

They've been stale. Art usually made it interesting.

One of the reasons why I quit listening to C2C... stale genre handled by an insipid, oatmeal-mouthed host. Can't count the times I would go to the C2C site to look at the show's upcoming schedule and the guest was some bland paranormal/new age/spiritual/quasi-quantum bullshit blend.

I can't be so harsh since C2C has gotten me thru long nights at a crappy night shift job for years. I was a young kid in the 90s and nothing beat listening to all the spooky topics on crackly low-fi AM radio late at night. But yeah it's not what it used to be.

[ItsOver]

Art should have handled this situation like an adult. First, if you're going to disappear without explanation, at least apologize to your fans rather than falling back on some excuse about the internet stream or cell phones when we've put money into radio equipment expecting a show to run for three years. Honor your contract and work with SiriusXM behind closed to doors on making the service better, for international listeners that have to fake a U.S. address and those who were online only users and dependent on the app to work. Instead, he gave management an ultimatum and quit when he didn't get his way. Didn't like the number of repeat callers? Adapt, take a Dreamland approach rather than blame others - it takes time to build a new following and Dark Matter deserved more than a six week run. The fact is, Art Bell flaked once again and he has no one to blame but himself when he could have done his job without acting like a diva, working out the kinks as the show went on.

Right on.  Noory sucks and Bell is a flake.

[RealCool Daddio]

       The wreckage of that man's life makes it clear that walking away is his instinct.

He must have some French ancestors.  He talks a good game, but at the slightest hint of adversity - retreat!

[HumanBeing]

Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis is alright. He's a actor/voice actor so he is pretty entertaining to listen to. He really needs to get more guests though.

Almost sounds like you are describing Phil Hendrie.
I don't really remember Clyde being this way.

[ItsOver]

Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis is alright. He's a actor/voice actor so he is pretty entertaining to listen to. He really needs to get more guests though.

And stop all the emotional drama and rants.

[swler007]

The only way for Art to get back a massive crowd of listeners is to go back on terrestrial again. Think about all the millions listening on radio and by using apps like iheart radio. Of course Art would have to deal with the usual restrictions of big corporate radio again. I mean look what has happened to C2C AM. Maybe Art is going to finally apply for social security and fade out into real retirement.

[swler007]

And stop all the emotional drama and rants.

He was actually bawling on the air during one  of his on air ghost investigations a week or so ago.  I do like the callers who call up and troll him and he follows along.

[area51drone]

wow, what a turnaround. I mean him no ill-will, but if he's reading this: Fukushimas Art, mega Fukushimas...

LOL... as much as I support Art, this was pretty funny

[ItsOver]

He was actually bawling on the air during one  of his on air ghost investigations a week or so ago.

He can be really good when he's got a guest and focused on the topic, especially the classic paranormal.  I just can't take all the other crap and his meme fascination.  Definitely some dysfunction going on with him, but I admire his battling his cancer.  He's a fighter.

[maren]

http://bellgab.com/index.php?topic=5028.0

New one coming this weekend. 

Cool!  Thanks!!  Where do I send my $15?   

[BillW50]

The only way for Art to get back a massive crowd of listeners is to go back on terrestrial again.

Oh then you are in luck!

"... So I'm very happy to report, I WILL RETURN to Coast to Coast AM and Dreamland beginning Wednesday night, October 28th. 'Til then, from the high desert, goodnight." -- Art Bell

Oh wait... Art said this 15 years ago. 

[ItsOver]

Don't contracts mean anything in the broadcasting industry?  How does Bell just walk away from a 3 year contract?  I saw the verbage from the Bell-side about being "a mutual agreement" but is that really the case?  Will Sirius take action for breach of contract?  All the excuses Bell has thrown out are just that.  BS excuses.  I'd think Sirius would want to recover at least some of it's losses, such as building the studio.

Even with Bell's past, I really thought he'd at least honor this contract, especially after all the build-up he provided.  What a let-down. 

[area51drone]

I think all of you are forgetting that it *isn't* like Art *is* asking for the moon here.   Like someone else said, 16 hours a week of programming streamed free, which Sirius is already giving away, and he's only asking that it be done for a limited time period.

The streaming issues ARE Sirius' fault, and here's why: 

1)  If their software is not buffering enough data, any break in your internet connection will/could have the effect of cutting out.  For example, let's say they are buffering 1 second of data, and your connection drops for 3 seconds.   It cuts, it sounds like shit.   Not worth $15.

2) They probably have some kind of cut-off.   For people with spotty wifi connections - which is common I have a solid DDWRT b/g/n network with multiple repeaters and even I occasionally experience problems - if you're off for maybe 10-20 seconds, maybe the Sirius software is booting you so that you have to go restart the show.   That could be extremely annoying and again not worth the $15.

Art is right, and you guys are being absolutely harsh on him.   Fuck every last one of you who loved him when he came back, but don't support him when he's trying to give you more.   He didn't quit, he asked for a reasonable solution to a problem.   He went all in, Sirius DIDN'T. 

I can't keep reading this thread, it's taking way too much of my time.   I'm saddened if it's over, but I also understand Art's point of view.   If you subscribed and are unhappy, call the fuck up and shut off your account.  Nothing will bring Art back quicker and better than droves of people cancelling their subscriptions.   There's nothing left to be said.

[ItsOver]

With all due respect, you're missing a key point.  Art wasn't the boss.  Sirius was.  Goodbye Mr. Bell.

[jblank]

You need to step into the real world and get off of Art's dick for a second.

[swler007]

SiriusXM android internet app worked flawlessly for me. Of course others might be experiencing issues but I feel there is much more this whole thing.

[indigoo]

I think all of you are forgetting that it *isn't* like Art *is* asking for the moon here.   Like someone else said, 16 hours a week of programming streamed free, which Sirius is already giving away, and he's only asking that it be done for a limited time period.

The streaming issues ARE Sirius' fault, and here's why: 

1)  If their software is not buffering enough data, any break in your internet connection will/could have the effect of cutting out.  For example, let's say they are buffering 1 second of data, and your connection drops for 3 seconds.   It cuts, it sounds like shit.   Not worth $15.

2) They probably have some kind of cut-off.   For people with spotty wifi connections - which is common I have a solid DDWRT b/g/n network with multiple repeaters and even I occasionally experience problems - if you're off for maybe 10-20 seconds, maybe the Sirius software is booting you so that you have to go restart the show.   That could be extremely annoying and again not worth the $15.

Art is right, and you guys are being absolutely harsh on him.   Fuck every last one of you who loved him when he came back, but don't support him when he's trying to give you more.   He didn't quit, he asked for a reasonable solution to a problem.   He went all in, Sirius DIDN'T. 

I can't keep reading this thread, it's taking way too much of my time.   I'm saddened if it's over, but I also understand Art's point of view.   If you subscribed and are unhappy, call the fuck up and shut off your account.  Nothing will bring Art back quicker and better than droves of people cancelling their subscriptions.   There's nothing left to be said.

You have no idea what the issue is with the streaming. It could be user-end. Maybe not. The problem is people paid to listen to Art, and he barely gave it a chance to work itself out. And what about the people that weren't having issues, or the people that don't listen via Internet streaming? The problem people have is his willingness to destroy something so quickly; time and time again he flees. We don't have the numbers to be conclusive with the breadth of the problem and/or the numbers. Sirius' business model should have been CLEAR to Art when he signed yet another contract he reneged on. They don't have to appeal to such a demand because what kind of precedent does that set?

I believe it could have been worked out with time and patience. Maybe even some pressure by listeners and hosts alike, Sirius would have caved and worked it out for everyone. Instead, people are left with this mess; especially those that spent lots of money to listen to Art again. People have a right to be pissed. Art's right about one thing, the service should be reliable. He's wrong about everything else and handled it like a bozo.

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

Do you expect HBO to deliver programming like Boardwalk Empire free too? SiriusXM survives based on their number of subscribers who want to hear exclusive content; Art Bell was asking for too much after management bent over backwards to keep him happy, e.g. increasing the stream timeout to four hours.

[Jackstar]

I think if people were willing to pay fourteen bucks a month to listen to SirusXM just for Art Bell, there is a non-trivial number of people who would be willing to pay seven bucks a month to listen to Art Bell.

How much could the penalty for breaking Sirius' agreement be? There is little doubt that the international audience for Art Bell dwarfs the SiriusXM subscriber base--if it didn't, Art would be kissing Sirius' ass, instead of writing them off.

It would seem that the crux of the matter is that Art got himself into a contract whereby it became illegal to interact with people who do not live in the U.S. The faster that contract could be broken, the better.


How long is the non-compete? Maybe he can broadcast as Chris Gaines.

[Jackstar]

Art Bell was asking for too much after management bent over backwards to keep him happy, e.g. increasing the stream timeout to four hours.

If that was "bending over backwards" then their technology was shit in the first place.