Startup radio station aims to broadcast voices of marginalized groups

Samuel Chase
Thu, 19 Nov 2020 04:07:29 +0000
Arts & Life, Features, Instagram Page, Music, News, dj, djs local djs, Local artists, local startup, marginalized identities, NTS, NTS radio, Ohio, ohio state, ohio state university, osu, radio, radio station, startup radio station, VergeFM

VergeFM is a multidisciplinary radio platform that will be launching January 2021. Credit: Courtesy of VergFM

Local DJs are trying to break down industry standards and create a new way to do radio.

VergeFM is a local startup radio station looking to promote people of marginalized identities and startup DJs to give them a voice, Nadia Ayad, a sixth-year in industrial design, said. She said the radio station is not looking to have a set identity, but is rather aiming to promote a variety of topics.

Ayad said she started her DJ career in 2019 and partnered with Reg Zehner and Lu Bird, fellow Columbus-based DJs, to create VergeFM, which is expected to launch in January 2021, according to its Instagram page.

“I felt this pressure that I needed to get good enough and apply to have a show on NTS Radio, which is based in London, and it’s really huge, which I still want to do, but it would have been nice earlier on to have something like Verge,” Ayad said. “We want everyone to be able to use it as a tool to promote their own work if they want to.”

NTS is a global radio station that promotes love and acceptance, Bird said. VergeFM is trying to model that theme of accepting all and focusing on promoting artists that have been discriminated against in previous radio eras.

“Some of the most interesting shows that are on radio right now are women of color on NTS, and I don’t even see many gay or trans people or non-binary people on NTS,” Bird said. “I’m focusing on pushing the information and sharing it.”

The startup finished accepting applications Monday for their initial resident hosts, Ayad said. Applicants applied to have a one-hour radio slot with the final decisions being announced in early December.

The station is prioritizing applicants of marginalized identities and trying to break through the walls set up in the DJ industry, Ayad said.

“I think if we can level out more representation, more exposure and give more opportunities to those that are not represented, it could provide the diversity that the artist and music community are looking for,” Zehner said. “I think people are getting tired of seeing the same thing all the time.”

Due to the costs of receiving a music license, VergeFM is using fundraising from supporters to kick-start the station, Zehner said.

“As long as we continue to be putting on good hosts and good content, we’ll be able to bring in donations into our GoFundMe. And then we will still have our December event,” Zehner said.

Ayad said the group has also received financial and creative support from 934 Galleries and Wild Goose Creative to continue the work of VergeFM.

Artists, DJs and podcasters can submit their work to the station regardless of experience, Ayad said. More information on VergeFM can be found on its Instagram page.