Faction Talk
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| Broadcast area |
United States Canada |
|---|---|
| Branding | xL |
| Slogan | N/A |
| Frequency |
XM 103 Sirius 206 |
| First air date | August 6, 2004 |
| Format | Talk radio |
| Class | Satellite radio station |
| Owner | Sirius XM Holdings |
| Website | www |
Faction Talk is an uncensored channel on XM Satellite Radio channel 103 and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 206, both subscription-based satellite radio services owned by SiriusXM. The channel first aired on XM on August 6, 2004 as High Voltage in preparation for the launch of the American radio show Opie and Anthony that year, and required subscribers to purchase the channel as a premium, until 2005.
In 2006, the channel was renamed The ViRUS and became affiliated with additional radio shows and podcasts including Ron and Fez. The channel became The Opie and Anthony Channel in 2011 until the firing of host Anthony Cumia led to the channel renamed to SiriusXM Talk from July 2014. Three months later, it was rebranded Opie Radio and became one of XM's nine "xL" channels for frequent explicit language. In 2017, following the addition of The Jason Ellis Show to the channel, it was renamed to Faction Talk.
On August 5, 2004, radio personalities Gregg "Opie" Hughes and Anthony Cumia signed a contract to host their Opie and Anthony show on XM Satellite Radio, a subscription-based satellite radio service from October 4 that year, from New York City. The two had been out of work since their firing in August 2002 from WNEW in New York City after station owner Infinity Broadcasting paid them to stay out of the air. On the following day, a dedicated channel for the hosts was launched as High Voltage on XM channel 202, a premium channel that cost subscribers an additional $1.99 per month. The name High Voltage was decided by one of XM's lawyers without consulting either host, despite them telling Hughes and Cumia they could think of a name. From the channel's launch to the show's debut broadcast, the channel aired nothing but two 40-second announcements promoting the show's return to the air. At 12:01 a.m. EST on October 1, 2004, the loop was interrupted to air O&A: Ungagged, a program that marked the duo's first radio appearance since 2002, aired on the XM Comedy, Boneyard, and SquiZZ channels.
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