Community-owned radio station Heartland FM is celebrating 30 years of broadcasting to the region of Highland Perthshire.
The Scottish rural station began broadcasting on a part -time basis on March 21, 1992 when a group of volunteers and local media activists saw a requirement for a small-scale radio station in an area that was underserved by conventional broadcasting.
The radio station has since moved on to full-time broadcasting, and has been supported by the community of Highland Perthshire since its inception.
It is the longest running community-owned station of its kind in Scotland.
To celebrate, Heartland FM is broadcasting week-long celebrations, including a two-day radio marathon on March 24-25, when Breakfast presenter Graham Howie and station manager Alistair Smith will broadcast live from the window of Heartland FM’s studios on Atholl Road in Pitlochry.
The station is also broadcasting a series of “Past, Present and Future” interviews, in which volunteers from all periods of Heartland FM’s broadcasting history share their views and stories about the station’s journey.
The station celebrated four awards at the UK-wide Community Radio Awards in 2021, taking home one gold, two silver and one bronze awards - including the silver award for Station of the Year.
Station manager Alistair Smith said: “My involvement with Heartland FM began just over three years ago, when an opportunity arose to install a new audio playout system ahead of a move to new premises.
“I am delighted that Heartland FM has been forward thinking and invested its energies into audio, digital and online media to secure a working model for the future.”
Chairman Graham Huggins commented: “I am so proud of the whole team at Heartland, who have shown incredible resilience and teamwork - especially over the last couple of years.
“They have had to learn many news skills to ensure we did not lose focus of our main objective: to be the Voice of Highland Perthshire.”
Over the past few years, Heartland FM has moved towards a multi-media model, and produces content for radio, web, social media, and its digital magazine, IRIS.
“The way people engage with radio is changing”, said Smith.
“But as the past two years has shown us, community stations are still as important as they were in the ‘90s.
“By supplementing our radio output with digital content, we’re able to match the evolving needs of our community, and stay relevant after three decades.”
