Milton Keynes’ popular community radio station, MKFM, recently celebrated 10 years of broadcasting on the FM band, adding another milestone to the organisation’s exciting journey.
The station was founded in 2011, but received its full-time FM licence four years later, and has been steadily growing, expanding its reach and bringing new listeners to 106.3FM ever since.
The broadcaster currently features hugely popular breakfast time, midday, afternoon and evening shows, is widely considered to be ‘the’ local radio station and local news source for Milton Keynes.
Its broad offering of news, chat, music, sport, business and local support has brought an ever-expanding legion of loyal fans and followers from homes, businesses, schools, charities and community organisations across the city.
Throughout its 10-year journey, MKFM has focused on community engagement and local programming, and has continued to reach out to the neighbourhood areas in MK as well as to the surrounding towns and villages.
It has supported local people and families, backed the city’s football club and other sports organisations and created and nurtured local business opportunities for the city’s trade and commerce through events such as monthly networking meetings at The Meet of MK.
“Congratulations to MKFM on reaching a decade of broadcasting onFM,”said Cllr Pete Marland, leader of Milton Keynes City Council. “Over the past 10 years, MKFM has become a valued voice within the city, providing entertainment on air, support to the community, and vital local news. Having strong local media is extremely important in holding public services to account, providing residents with a platform they may not have otherwise. We look forward to seeing MKFM’s continued success for many years to come.”
MKFM’s story began with the goal of reintroducing local radio to Milton Keynes, with trial broadcasts on 107FM in 2011. The station successfully campaigned for a full-time licence, launching on DAB digital radio in 2013, when it became a full-time service, and on FM in 2015.
“It has been an exciting and successful 10 years as an FM broadcaster,” said Joanne Ronan, director, MKFM. “I can’t believe a decade has gone by so quickly and, within that time, we have made so many brilliant in-roads into the work we wanted to achieve.
“That includes providing a first-class radio station that local people want to tune into and listen to. It means supporting local businesses and helping them to grow with us in Milton Keynes. And it means backing the city’s schools and charities as we all try to make Milton Keynes an even better place to live.
“I am excited and looking forward to the next decade of MKFM.”
MKFM can be found on FM, at 106.3FM across the borough of Milton Keynes, on 95.0FM in the Wolverton and Stony Stratford area, and on 102.1FM in the Bletchley area.
It can also DAB digital radio across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and online, as well as via the free online app, available to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
For more information, visit their website.
