[2][3] In 1978, Art Bell created and hosted West Coast AM, a late-night political talk/call-in show on Las Vegas radio station KDWN.

[4] After Bell's retirement, the show was hosted by various personalities, including Mike Siegel, George Noory, and others.

[9] By 2010 the program was known as by far the most popular overnight show in the country,[2] echoed by The New York Times in 2017, citing Nielsen ratings.

The affiliate group is fronted by 12 clear-channel stations, among them WBT in Charlotte, WHO in Des Moines, WWL in New Orleans, WOR in New York City, KFBK in Sacramento, KFI in Los Angeles, and WTAM in Cleveland.

The show is also carried by Sirius XM Radio, on its Road Dog Trucking channel 146.

Historian Ronald H. Fritze characterized the show as an "especially influential example" of the trend in modern media to disseminate false history and fake science.

[2] Religious Studies lecturer David G. Robertson observed that "sweeping conspiratorial revisionist histories and ancient alien narratives" are a frequent feature of the show.

[3] According to The Atlantic senior editor Timothy Lavin, host George Noory "lets clearly delusional or pseudoscientific assertions slide by without challenge".

[2] In 1998, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry awarded show host Art Bell their mocking "Snuffed Candle Award", citing his work "for encouraging credulity, presenting pseudoscience as genuine, and contributing to the public's lack of understanding of the methods of scientific inquiry".

[14] CSI fellow Joe Nickell has appeared on the show occasionally as "a voice of skepticism", saying his goal was to explain and demystify the "bizarre topics 'Coast to Coast' deals with" such as Bigfoot and ghosts.

Guest hosts have included Hilly Rose, Barbara Simpson, Rollye James, Dave Schrader, Connie Willis, Lisa Garr, Richard Syrett, Rob Simone and Jimmy Church.