The tireless Roland wrote two interesting bits on the Black Swan homepage which are very relevant.

FAREWELL & THANKS, MICHAEL BROTHWELL. Sadly, Michael Brothwell broadcast his last edition of North Yorkshire Folk on Radio York at the end of March. Due to developing business interests in Leeds he had wanted to move on for some time, and I sure we all wish him well. In the two years he had been on air, Michael created one of the best local radio specialist music shows in a very long time. A "natural" broadcaster and a great enthusiast for folk music in all its forms, he gave generous support to the local music scene across the county.
Locally-based performers were heavily featured in studio sessions, interviews and record play, with Michael displaying a rare ability to unearth new and interesting artists. In particular, he made common ground between the older-established folk scene, based around clubs and festivals, and the younger generation of acoustic musicians sometimes dubbed "new folk". Even someone like myself, immersed in this business for over 25 years, discovered someone or something unfamiliar and enjoyable almost every week. The show rapidly became essential listening, and when it was extended to two hours, in direct competition with Mike Harding on Radio 2, it was the national station that lost out, so far as many were concerned!
Highlights were numerous, but I would single out the "Auden & Folk" programme, based around last year's event in York. This was a masterly mix of concert footage, percipient interviews and modest narration which I feel could have easily merited a repeat on a national radio channel such as Radio 2 or even Radio 3 or 4. Nor should we forget the "Song for North Yorkshire" competition, which proved far more successful than we first anticipated in encouraging and promoting local songwriting talent.

WHERE NOW FOR LOCAL RADIO FOLK? So what happens next on Radio York? Although Michael gave his bosses generous notice of his departure, no great steps seem to have been taken to seek out an alternative presenter. The 7pm slot on Wednesday 4 April was filled by one of the station's regular broadcasters. True, our own Stan Graham had been drafted in at the last minute to chat with her, but they were limited to playing CD tracks with, it seemed, a brief to be as "safe" and "mainstream" as possible. There wasn't even a diary of upcoming events. This was hardly local radio in any true sense. I gave up at 8pm and re-tuned to Mike Harding on Radio 2! If you want to express your concerns and try to find out what is going on, I suggest you contact BBC Radio York's Managing Editor, Sara Drummond, on sarah.drummond@bbc.co.uk.