It happens so often that I, too, assume it is done for precisely the same reason.

A commercial app is just a blend of software bugs that encourages profitability (not too many bugs, not too few).

Do they actually own the rights to these old broadcasts? I'd be surprised. Coast to Coast's website has an "Art Bell Vault" with old episodes. I bet they're the rights-holder, rather than whoever is behind this podcast.

Edit: the matter of ownership doesn't necessarily matter to me, but I am curious as to who is behind this.

Art owned the name and other branding for at least a period of time, but it’s entirely possible Premiere (part of iHeartMedia now I believe) eventually acquired it. The actual shows are probably Premiere’s.

Unless I have been misinformed, the vault has been done with the estate’s approval and his widow and kids support the Patreon based on the C2C FB groups; who is directly managing it has never been made publicly clear that I can find.