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In the early 1970s, when the decision-makers of the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE began to have more understanding for the demands of the Sámi, it became possible to move the Sámi Radio further north from Rovaniemi. At that point, the Sámi Radio did not exist officially: it was only part of the regional radio production of Rovaniemi.

The Program Committee of Lapland's Regional Radio recommended in December 1971 that the microphone office of Hetta in the municipality of Enontekiö become a permanent office and that an editorial office be established in Ivalo for the Sámi Radio.

As a result, the Regional Radio stationed journalist Sulo Aikio in Ivalo with the task of gathering material for Sámi programs. In the spring of 1972, the journalist had his office in Ivalo Hotel and, later on, in the dormitory of the Akujärvi school which had been closed down by the municipality of Inari.

The idea of having the editorial center of the Sámi Radio in Ivalo was not, however, supported by all the Sámi. Many felt that the village of Inari would suit this purpose better. In December 1972, YLE managed to rent facilities from the municipality in Inari. Journalist Kaarina Halvari moved from Rovaniemi to Inari, and the microphone office of Enontekiö continued its activities as the editorial office of Western Lapland.

Although the Sámi editorial offices were at this point finding their home in the Sámi Area, the working facilities were still quite inadequate. It was only after the summer of 1973 that the Sámi Radio could start broadcasting its programs straight from Inari – after the national radio had first broadcast Mid Summer programs from the village.

In the summer of 1973, the Sámi editorial office was, for the first time, granted an official status within the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, when an editor-in-chief was appointed for Sámi broadcasting. Earlier, the responsibility for the broadcasting in Sámi had formally fallen upon the director of Lapland's Regional Radio – who did not understand the Sámi language.

The Sámi Radio got its own building in Inari in 1977, when YLE had a small studio and an office as well as a few apartments built for it. From 1980 on, the Sámi Radio has been lead by Juhani Nousuniemi, who was first the director of the editorial office and is now the regional director of the Sámi Radio.

When the Sámi editiorial office got the status of an independent regional radio station within the Finnish Broadcasting Company, it was time to extend the facilities. As a result, the present building in Inari was finished in 1987. Already before this, in 1983, a local editorial office had been established in Utsjoki and the microphone office of Enontekiö had become a local editorial office which was located in Kaaresuvanto. Thus, the Sámi Radio has now taken root in the Sámi Area – its natural home region.