There probably is a folk music industry, though it's a very different kettle of worms to the bigtime music industry. Most of the people involved in it are independent and in it for the music rather than the money, even though they might make a living out of it. its another (nicer? less cut-throat?) world

The record side is quite important, influential and flourishing I think. Getting much better at it (recording, design, presentation).

Generally the BBC is insignificant, Mike Harding plays very little of what is released and mostly the very safe stuff (its radio 2, and he's pretty out of touch I feel). Late Junction and Mary Ann Kennedy on Radio 3 play more but not many people listen to that station (though I do). Nothing much else on nationally though you get odd documentaries here and there.

Most people I know (and me) buy CDs on the net, Amazon or artist web sites these days. Sometimes on gigs, I can't remember when I last went into a record shop. Used to go to Virgin Megastore when I went into London but that has closed recently I believe.

All sorts of things influence my CD buying. Word of mouth, curiosity, seeing artist live, friends turning me on, listening to Late Junction, reading mags like fRoots and hearing their net radio show, increasingly hearing tracks first on MySpace, that's quite important now.