When National Public Radio debuted in the 1970s, WRFK became the organization's member for Richmond, airing programs such as All Things Considered.

In the late 1980s, the seminary discovered that its charter did not allow it to operate a radio station and put WRFK on the market.

[6][7] Meanwhile, Richmond's PBS member, WCVE-TV, which signed on in 1964, expressed an interest in operating a public radio station as a companion to Channel 23.

With the help of interested businessmen and lawmakers who wanted to see the NPR/fine arts format preserved in Richmond, Commonwealth Public Broadcasting won a radio license.

[11][12] Its effective radiated power was 8,300 watts, with its transmitter at the WCVE-TV tower, at 840 feet in height above average terrain.

[13] It originally aired classical music much of the day, with some NPR programs, jazz and local news.

[15] As they are the only public radio stations in their broadcast areas, these stations are split between the VPM News and VPM Music networks; news airs in morning and evening drive times on weekdays, while music takes the rest of the day and weekends.