Mearns FM

Last updated

Mearns FM
MearnsFM logo.png
Broadcast area Aberdeenshire
Frequency 105.1 MHz, 105.7 MHz, 106.2 MHz, 107.3 MHz
RDS MEARNSFM
Programming
Format Community Radio Station
Ownership
OwnerMearns Community Radio Ltd
History
First air date
6 June 2009 (2009-06-06)
Links
Webcast https://www.mearnsfm.org.uk
Website www.mearnsfm.org.uk

Mearns FM is a community run radio station [1] based in Kincardineshire, also known as the Mearns. There are transmitters in Laurencekirk, Inverbervie, Stonehaven and Portlethen leading to a coverage area stretching from St Cyrus to Aberdeen. The studio is located in Stonehaven.

Contents

History

In 1993, Community Radio in the Mearns area began following a visit to North East Community Radio by members of the Stonehaven Community Centre Management Committee. Stonehaven Community Radio was subsequently formed, and it transmitted for the first time during July 1994 from the old primary school toilet block in Stonehaven Community Centre. At that time, community stations could only operate for 28 days at a time. The group disbanded in 1998. [2]

In 2004, five year community radio licences were introduced, which led to the formation of a new group of enthusiasts. A draft constitution was adopted at the first AGM which was held in the late Summer of 2005. The project was delayed because a round of broadcasting applications had just closed and Ofcom, the regulating authority, did not invite new applications until the late autumn of 2006. It was necessary for the organisation to become a Company Limited by Guarantee and a registered charity. [2]

The committee originally planned the station to be named Stonehaven Community Radio but it was decided to become Mearns wide and be called Mearns FM. Because of the large geographical area of the Mearns, the station applied for three transmitters which Ofcom subsequently agreed to and a licence was issued in early July 2007. [2]

The station began broadcasting on 6 June 2009 during the annual Feein' Market in Stonehaven. At 11am the station was officially opened by the local MP, Sir Robert Smith. [2]

Since then OFCOM have renewed our license to broadcast twice and we are able to keep broadcasting until at least 2024.

In 2016, the station was the only Community Radio Station in Scotland to receive accreditation from the BBC for Eurovision Song Contest coverage. [3]

In April 2020 Mearns FM was successful in a bid to increase power at all 3 transmitters and install a new transmitter at Portlethen church hall. [4] This will improve coverage across South Aberdeenshire, half the funding needed to replace 4 transmitters was granted from Aberdeenshire Council and we are very grateful for that help. We will also open a new studio in Portlethen church hall part-financed by the National Lottery awards for all program. Mearns FM also launched on DAB digital radio across North-East Scotland in July 2020. [5] [6]

Studio

The station was broadcast from Stonehaven Town Hall from its inception in 2007 until late 2019, when it had to move due to electrical upgrades taking place in the town hall. After broadcasting from temporary studios, the station moved permanently to a new studio on Ann Street on 13 September 2020. [2]

Programming

Programs did include the self-proclaimed "world's only Doric show". [7] Every Sunday at 9am, the previous Sunday's worship service of Bervie Church is broadcast.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonehaven</span> Town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Stonehaven is a town in Scotland. It lies on Scotland's northeast coast and had a population of 11,602 at the 2011 Census. After the demise of the town of Kincardine, which was gradually abandoned after the destruction of its royal castle in the Wars of Independence, the Scottish Parliament made Stonehaven the successor county town of Kincardineshire. It is currently administered as part of the Aberdeenshire Council Area. Stonehaven had grown around an Iron Age fishing village, now the "Auld Toon", and expanded inland from the seaside. As late as the 16th century, old maps indicate the town was called Stonehyve, Stonehive, Timothy Pont also adding the alternative Duniness. It is known informally to locals as Stoney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kincardineshire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Kincardineshire, also known as the Mearns, is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area on the coast of northeast Scotland. It is bounded by Aberdeenshire on the north and west, and by Angus on the south.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurencekirk</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Laurencekirk, locally known as Lournie, is a small town in the historic county of Kincardineshire, Scotland, just off the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen main road. It is administered as part of Aberdeenshire. It is the largest settlement in the Howe o' the Mearns area and houses the local secondary school; Mearns Academy, which was established in 1895 and awarded the Charter Mark in 2003.

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Inverbervie is a small town on the north-east coast of Scotland, south of Stonehaven.

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Newtonhill is a commuter town in Kincardineshire, Scotland. It is popular due to its location, just six miles south of Aberdeen with easy reach of Stonehaven and with views over the North Sea.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catterline</span>

Catterline is a coastal village on the North Sea in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is situated about 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Stonehaven; nearby to the north are Dunnottar Castle and Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve. Other noted architectural or historic features in the general area include Fetteresso Castle, Fiddes Castle, Chapel of St. Mary and St. Nathalan and Muchalls Castle.

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This is a timeline of the development of radio in Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "About us". Mearns FM. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Mearns FM get Eurovision accreditation". Kincardineshire Observer. 13 May 2016. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  4. ↑ Proctor, David (2 July 2020). "Radio antenna plans for north-east church hall approved". Evening Express. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  5. ↑ Phillips, Zoe (18 July 2020). "North-east community radio station to make waves on digital format". Evening Express. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  6. ↑ "Mearns FM goes digital as it joins Switch Aberdeen". RadioToday. 1 August 2020. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  7. ↑ Hay, Katharine (1 March 2021). "Stay tuned: Meet the weird and wonderful volunteers keeping community radio alive in lockdown". Edinburgh Evening News. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.

56°57′50″N2°12′28″W / 56.9640°N 2.2077°W / 56.9640; -2.2077

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