Introduction:

Heartland FM is an independent community radio service based in Pitlochry in the centre of Scotland It currently provides 24-hours of broadcasting 7-days a week on 97.5 MHz, with the aim to entertain, educate, inform and encourage local participation. The service is staffed almost entirely by volunteers and is supported almost wholly by the local community.

As well as being a broadcaster, Heartland FM aims to be a community resource, giving new opportunities to those living and working in the area. With local people actively involved in every aspect of the service, Heartland FM is able to contribute to life at the heart of Scotland it is a tool for the community to use in the area's interests.

Heartland FM's Transmission Service Area (TSA) is informally known as Highland Perthshire, which includes Aberfeldy, Pitlochry, Dunkeld and many small villages from Kenmore to Kirkmichael. It also has regular listeners outside its TSA, in Perth and Killin for example, and even reaches as far East as Montrose and Forfar.

The station's transmission service area (TSA) is 1000 sq. miles of Highland Perthshire embracing the communities of Blair Atholl & Calvine, Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy Kenmore and Kirkmichael, with a population of some 12,500 which increases six-fold between May and September.

The TSA straddles the A9 corridor, Scotland's main north-south artery and is characterised by an AB1 resident population delivering a largely over-21 year old audience with a high level of disposable income.

There is clear reception of service in Amulree, Birkhill, Dalnaspidal, Glenfarg, Killin, Kinloch Rannoch and Trochry.

The station also has regular listeners in:
Auchterarder
Forfar
Montrose
Perth

The station's programming is based upon:

Market research carried out before the service was launched,
Feedback from listeners, and
Independent audience surveys commissioned by Heartland FM.

There is a range of specialist music programmes, traditional music features strongly as it was registered as important to many in the community. The significant speech element of programming consists of news and weather, events diary, specialist guest contributors (e.g. farming, health), discussion programmes and interviews on wide-ranging topics of interest or importance to people in the area.

Heartland FM's achievements and involvement with the community are not restricted to the programmes it airs. Since its launch in 1992, Heartland FM has also:

Produced two series of introductory Gaelic language lessons on cassette, with Scottish Office and local authority support
Produces cassettes of popular programmes with historical, cultural and educational material
Trained volunteers staff who have gone on to be professional employed in the BBC, independent radio and independent production
Organised annual series of highly successful concerts and ceilidhs, as well as supporting and promoting other cultural events
Been used as an inspiration and blueprint for the start-up of similar stations in other rural Scottish communities
Been the subject of a six part BBC2 documentary, other TV and radio features, and numerous published articles since before the station's launch
Exchanged programmes and experiences with stations in the USA, Australia and other countries.

Mission statement and philosophy:

Heartland ‘mission' is to be the voice of Highland Perthshire. In being this it aims:

To celebrate those qualities that are shared among the local communities, which provide its distinctive character - helping both to form and to reinforce community identity and pride;
To provide a means of expression for minority views, and a platform for open discussion of areas of local contention - acknowledging the validity of diverse views and conflicting interest and airing them;
To provide an effective shop window for locally-based businesses and commercial activities;
To provide support and encouragement for social, sport and cultural group activities;
To provide an effective means for dissemination of public information, advisory service and distance learning material to the scattered/remote population;
To be a means of bringing live musical performances to the locality and encouraging the work of local musicians and artistes;
To increase the confidence and the skills of all involved (with possible benefits to their position in the job market) through its training activities and through involvement in its regular operation;
To achieve this by being radio for pleasure rather than principally for profit.