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Bill Lupoletti, who hosts WRIR's "Global A Go-Go," on the air during a fundraising drive (Photo by Justin Chesney)
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WRIR DJs have a wide selection of music to choose from. (Photo by Justin Chesney)
"Radio is a sound salvation,” Elvis Costello wrote in the song “Radio, Radio,” taking a swipe at commercialization. In Richmond, listeners can find that kind of salvation by tuning in to one of several alternative radio stations where they know they’ll almost always hear something new.
WRIR 97.3 FM, wrir.org
Begun in 2005 as Richmond’s first low-power FM station, WRIR is unaffiliated and nonprofit. The music deejays and local talk show hosts, who are all volunteers, pull influence from earlier independent and collegiate stations, according to Bill Lupoletti, a host with the station since its founding. “We have this DIY sense that comes from the history of indie radio in Richmond,” he says. Through fund drives, concerts and small-business sponsorships, WRIR broadcasts news from Richmond and beyond, along with an array of music, while cultivating a community around those who support the station.
WDCE 90.1 FM, wdce.org
University of Richmond’s radio station, WDCE, has more than 50 years of broadcasting under its belt, but has faced challenges over the years. “There have been a few years of buyout scares, but we’ve bounced back with vigor,” says Tim Barney, a faculty advisor to the station. WDCE offers 58 shows with more than 70 DJs playing a variety of genres, and, according to General Manager Jay Venables, is looking forward to expanding its reach to the community. “We work to give listeners an experience they can’t find on any other station,” Venables says.
WVCW 102.9 FM (weeknights), wcvw.org
With programming ranging from rock to hip-hop, WVCW provides listeners a taste of underground music. Founded as WJRB in 1969, the student-run station at VCU originally was available on AM through carrier current transmission in student residence halls and the Hibbs Hall cafeteria. The station added cable FM in 1991, and in 2001 transitioned to an online-only format. It began broadcasting on FM again in 2015 through an agreement with WTJU in Charlottesville. “In many ways, it's a countercultural movement, pushing back against standardization in its own independent way,” says Alan Booth, the station's general manager.
