Greetings!

a great topic....
Mary Cliffe is a great person and long dedicated to the cause.
The program is a great source of information especially about local artists and concerts.

The trouble is that anouncements dominate the program. You listen for a while to music and then to a flood of anouncements that go on all night.
Another problem is that I find she is quite selective and will not play new materials which I have submitted to her over the years. Clearly we need to hear the range available in the new issues area.

Ok thats the critique here are the suggestions for change

1. Create a web page and put the anouncements there. Let people know the address and when it is updated. Anounce live only changes in that schedule. You can make an anouncement that ceretain bands are on the list but do it quick.

2. Create an e.mail list which can be used to send anouncements-this is free via http://www.yahoogroups.com

3. Create a postal mailing on a postcard. Have people send in blank cards to pay for postage etc....

4. Play everything submitted before playing people who just happen to have concerts on.

This should work.
People doing concerts know that last minute anouncements dont help much anyway. The information needs to go in early- no later than 30 days. As this is the reality we can all stop by a web page or join an e.mail list and get the same information.

A radio show focused on folk music is a great thing providing that when I put it on I get music or as in the style of Spottswood a commentary on the music. Actually however commentaries are also good on web pages.
That way we get more music.

I encourage Mary Cliffe to keep up the good work both on the show and in the community where she is one of the hardest working people in the business.

Conrad