WHERE WE’VE BEEN

In the early 90s, our founder Christopher Maxwell, dissatisfied with local media sources, sought to make low power FM radio accessible to everyone. He united activists and college radio veterans to advocate for the legislation that would eventually lead to nonprofit LPFM stations like WRIR-LP. We emerged as one of the largest donor-funded, volunteer-run indie stations in the U.S., with over 150 active participants. WRIR-LP 97.3FM Richmond’s mission is to air underrepresented news, views and music in order to provide a platform for cultural diversity in the City of Richmond, VA. Our talk shows feature stories from Richmond's lively culture and address important issues in our lives. We focus on music that showcases local talent and independent artists from home and beyond. Governed by the volunteer Board of Directors from nonprofit Virginia Center for Public Press, WRIR is unlike commercial radio or other public media entities. We are not beholden to corporate or government interests; our commitment is solely to The People.

  • 80% of our funding comes from listeners; grants and on-air underwriting makes up the rest

  • The majority of our programming is hosted or produced by women, People of Color and folks from the LGBTQIA+ community -- nearly unheard of in radio

  • Weekday mornings feature local and national news and talk shows from 8am-1pm, while music from every genre and corner of the world fills the rest of the schedule

  • We are never off the air, broadcasting on your FM dial, streaming and archives online at wrir.org 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with a different local voice every 2 hours. We are always here for you!

Stay tuned for Whitney Whiting’s audio documentary, The Means of Production: The Origin Story of WRIR and Community-Powered Radio in Richmond, which begins broadcasting in January 2025.

VCPP/WRIR has been renting in the building at 1621 W Broad Street, upstairs from our friends at The Camel for nearly two decades.

Over time, our volunteer family of 150+ Richmonders has outgrown it, both physically and philosophically. While our Broad Street home has served us well, it does not serve everyone in an equitable manner. Did you know that 12% of Virginians have a mobility disability? Richmond’s population reflects that number.

WRIR’s current space has many challenges including steep, narrow stairs, poor flow between spaces and aging equipment, which hinder us from sharing important local stories from underserved communities. To fulfill our mission as your community radio station, we need an accessible building, owned by Richmond residents, with a more user friendly floor plan and technology.

This is why VCPP purchased 1806 E Main Street in historic Shockoe Bottom, where big things are happening every day. We want to be where there’s a need for change and action behind that need. We are asking you to contribute a little (or, frankly, A LOT) more than your usual biannual fund drive gifts to help us create a home that celebrates all the unique aspects of Richmond and to ensure that space flourishes for those that come after us.

 What is the need?

Building – With the desire to be welcoming to all, WRIR is moving into a new building to allow for an ADA-accessible space.

  • $900,935 for the complete buildout of WRIR’s new home to include an elevator, security upgrades, parking, 2 fully accessible bathrooms, live video capability, outside speakers to broadcast to the public, a community space, a live performance room for local bands, an acoustically sound talk studio, and so much more!

  • $430,000 to fund the mortgage

  • $105,000+ to purchase the empty lot next to the building

Equipment – Upgraded equipment will not only improve the quality of WRIR’s sound and programming, but will also provide a better quality experience for volunteers and guests.

  • $50,000 to move the station into new building

  • $25,000 for furnishings and extras

  • $36,500 for new equipment (CDJs, turntables, iMacs, software, mic arms, headphones, etc)

Marketing – WRIR would love to enhance its current marketing with a new brand and updated website.

  • $10,000 for a website buildout

  • $10,000 in capital campaign and rebranded promotional materials

  • $5,000 for graphic design / social media updates

  • $5,000 to promote WRIR events, programming

Events and Collaborations – this is how we keep the community engaged with us. We will be able to strengthen our volunteer base and nonprofit partnerships.

  • $25,000  quarterly educational workshops

  • $25,000  quarterly community events

  • $25,000  anniversary, fund drive and volunteer appreciation celebrations

Operations – WRIR runs efficiently, but on a shoestring, with an operating budget of $90k/year. With additional funds, the station would have much more flexibility and freedom for day-to-day operations and skilled training for volunteers.

  • $150,000 for a year’s worth of operating expenses

  • $150,000 just in case. We’d rather be safe than sorry should disaster strike!

We are proud to partner with architect Mary Lorino (LoCh Design) and contractor Kevin O’Leary (J.D. Lewis) to make this dream a reality.

WRIR airs a variety of educational and entertainment radio programming – multiple shows that recognize local talent, audio documentaries on legendary artists, current events and culturally significant talk shows, children’s programs, nonprofit partnership projects, and on and on.

The station also hosts training workshops, community hangouts, and special events in and out of the studios, all run by WRIR volunteers and local experts.

You’ll get to do all of that and so much more in these new studios!

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When you are ready to leave your mark on your community radio station,
visit our GET INVOLVED page to see our NAMING OPPORTUNITIES!