It was officially launched on Christmas Day 2010 after its bid to take over the licence of Radio Maldwyn was accepted on 15 December 2010, initially broadcasting on only 756 AM.
On 11 August 2014, at 10:21am Radio Hafren started broadcasting on 102.1 FM to the two largest population centers (Newtown and Welshpool) in its coverage area, using a frequency allocated in 2011.
Live programmes initially ran between 0700 - 1900, with the Supergold service from the Chiltern Radio Network overnight.
Originally a local station formed as a community co-operative, Radio Maldwyn became a Limited Company in the late 1990s, with original shareholders having 51% of the new company and 49% owned by Murfin Music International, owners of Sunshine 855 in Ludlow, South Shropshire and Sunshine FM in Hereford and Monmouth.
Between Midnight and 2am, the output switched to a selection of programmes featuring new and unsigned artists from the internet only station Celtica Radio.