News of village life in the smallest of north-east communities could soon be hitting the airwaves with the development of radio station Mearns FM.

Mearns FM was granted a broadcasting licence in July 2007, and gaining the charity status necessary for fundraising in September 2007 means that news from the Mearns will soon hit the airwaves A small group of volunteers are now pushing ahead with efforts to secure transmitter sites which will allow it to reach homes across the Mearns.

Convener Ian Hunter said advancements in technology mean that when it finally hits the airwaves, every village in the area will have the opportunity to contribute news and events from their communities.
Even for the smallest and most remote villages it is possible to in little studios
"All you need is a computer and mixer and that would allow all communities to feed into radio broadcasts through a broadband connection.
"It is important that this is not just about Stonehaven or Inverbervie but connects to the whole of the Mearns and we have been working hard to get this message out."

Mearns FM is currently running field tests to identify sites from where their transmitters can reach the whole of the area, with three stations planned for Stonehaven, Inverbervie and Laurencekirk.
Mr Hunter added: "The main aim of Mearns FM is to open up a whole range of discussion areas that don't exist at the moment.
"We don't hear enough of young people's voices and would very much like to see that come through. We also want it to be a shop window for local talent."

But he said that while technical support for the station, which should be on the air within 12 months, had been forthcoming, they are still short of fundraisers.
He said: "There are a number of schemes we plan to apply to for grants but we need people to help with the applications.
"It can be very time consuming but it is vital that we have the finances in place to move forward.

Progress can be speeded up with the help of a few more volunteers amd anyone interested in more details should contact Ian Hunter on 01569 760310 or by email