[3] Following the show's formal announcement on July 30, 2013,[4] Sirius XM Radio president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein remarked that Bell's Dark Matter program would be "uncensored, unrestricted, uncluttered and utterly unique.
[6] According to Bell, Sirius XM Radio subscribers experienced problems streaming Dark Matter live, thus negatively impacting the program's caller-driven format.
[6] To remedy these issues, Bell sought to have Dark Matter stream live from his artbell.com website for free, a suggestion which Sirius XM Radio refused.
[4] According to Sirius XM Radio, Dark Matter primarily focused on topics including: "the paranormal, near-death experiences, quantum physics, extraterrestrial life and the unusual.
"[4] Bell hosted Dark Matter from a new studio built by Sirius XM Radio in a guest house at his rural residence in Pahrump, Nevada.
[7] The program's associate producer Evan Winkofsky operated the boards from Washington, D.C.[8] Dark Matter's closing theme song was "Midnight in the Desert," which was written and performed by Crystal Gayle for Art Bell.
[10] It would not be broadcast by Sirius XM Radio; instead it would be streamed live from midnight to 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time Zone, Monday through Friday, via a link on his website or via the TuneIn app on a smartphone or tablet.