"This is Keith Community Radio"
When those words were broadcast at 10.45 on the morning of 17 February 1986, they proclaimed the launch of the smallest radio station of its kind in Britain.

It was the start of a success story that is about to write a whole new chapter.

A public meeting had been called some months earlier to float the idea and attracted a good number of enthusiasts eager to volunteer their services in putting out a daily diet of programmes to Turner Memorial Hospital, Linn Home, Glenisla Home and the Community Centre.

The ultimate aim was to take Keith Community Radio on to the open airwaves, to be picked up in homes and places of work.  Full time station manager Donald Barbour, 3 part-time presenters and a part-time clerkess, employed under the Manpower Service Commission's Community Programme, backed up volunteers in initially putting out a half-hour programme 5 days a week, and within a year it was 3 hours on 7 days.

There was something for everyone in music, requests, news, story telling, religious slots, sport and interviews with local personalities.  Home was a studio in the basement of Randall Webster's house at Bona Vista, Broomhill Road, Keith.  Randall was one of KCR's founders.

Generous support from various sources led to more than £5,000 being spent of equipment and local people donated 4,000 LPs and singles.  The first LP, "Pipes and Strings of Scotland", was given by Moray Firth Radio, which has provided great support to KCR throughout its lifespan.  KCR was to come under the umbrella of the Balloch Trust, which was overseeing other work experience schemes, and in 1987 KCR's enterprise won an award and studio equipment from Chevron Petroleum (UK) Ltd.

The station built up a successful track record and expertise but suffered from a limited audience and the dream of going on to open airwaves failed to materialise as the Government dithered over its community radio plans.  KCR broke away from the Balloch Trust, lost its "paid" employees, and reverted to volunteers under the direction of Bill Murray.  He saw the station through till its closure in March 1993, when the management committee decided, in the face of financial difficulties, to "mothball" the service.  Then, following changes in legislation on community radio, KCR was revived.  With the help of Moray Firth Radio, KCR went on air in 1997, initially 4 days a week and then 6 days a week from April 2000.