The Verge (XM)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

'
(un)Signed
Broadcast area Canada
United States
Branding The Verge
Slogan New, Emerging, Now
Frequency XM 52
First air date 2002 as Radio Unsigned
2005 as (un)Signed
April 17, 2006 as The Verge
Format Indie and Modern Rock
Class Satellite Radio Station
Owner XM Radio Canada
Website XM The Verge

The Verge is an XM Satellite Radio channel featuring new and emerging rock bands from Canada. The channel is produced in Toronto, Ontario for the entire XM platform. The channel's former names included Unsigned, and (un)Signed, which indicated that the channel played a combination of signed and unsigned bands.

Contents

[edit] Radio Unsigned (2002-2005)

XM launched the original Unsigned channel (notice no parenthesis) in its rock selection as an outlet for all the unsigned rock bands out there to receive nationwide exposure. In addition to unsigned rock music, one of these bands would also have the opportunity to have Unsigned play their favorite popular band at a certain time each day. A popular show on Unsigned was The R>A>D>A>R Report, which actually started via internet in the late 1990s as a showcase for unsigned rockers. XM Satellite Radio picked up the show for its Unsigned channel, and the show now had a wide audience to broadcast to beginning on January 3, 2003. As Unsigned continued its parade of no-name up and comer rock bands, sister rocker XMU on XM 43 was also growing with its selection of independent and college rock. After a while, it looked as if XMU and Unsigned were slowly becoming the same channel, with similar bands being played. Some XM fans suggested a merger of the two channels, while others suggested niching the playlists a little more. On November 16, 2005, the "merger" people got their wish.

[edit] (un)Signed (2005-2006)

In June 2005, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission gave XM's partner, Canadian Satellite Radio, the license to broadcast satellite radio in Canada. With this came some rules and regulations regarding Canadian content, forcing the birth of new channels on the line-up. Some channels were newborns, some were deleted completely and replaced with new ones, Unsigned on the other hand was the only one to be moved and reformatted. Thus, (un)Signed was born. (un)Signed was born as a station for new and emerging rock artists from Canada, and is currently on the entire XM platform in both nations. To maintain 100% Canadian content, The R>A>D>A>R Report was moved to XMU where it continues to broadcast weekly shows with encores. XMU did not receive a name change, but it now makes up more for the loss of the old Unsigned's playlist.

[edit] The Verge (2006-)

As of April 17, 2006, (un)Signed has renamed itself to The Verge, and now includes some American emerging and unsigned rock bands. The station now has DJs scheduled around the clock on extended shifts, and features the series NEXT on Mondays at 11 p.m.. The Verge describes NEXT as a launch pad for yet-to-be known artists. Another new series which is being advertised across the XM platform is LiVE @ The Verge, which airs Fridays @ 9 p.m. ET and replays Sunday @ 9 a.m. and Tuesday @ noon. For a schedule of upcoming performances on LiVE @ The Verge, visit the channel's program page.

This channel, Laugh Attack, Radio Parallèle, and/or ATN-Asian Radio will be preempted by XM Radio Canada in order to air extra NHL play-by-play on channels 235-239.

[edit] On-Air

[edit] Weekdays

Time (ET) DJ
8 AM Kelowna Vincent
4 PM Leake

[edit] External links