I've found this thread slightly disturbing. Not that I'm paranoid, but I've presented a folk music radio program since 1976 and now I'm starting to get worried.

In Australia, the vast majority of folk programs come from stations in the community broadcasting sector. Most of our community stations have a shoestring budget and they survive thanks to the dedication or downright obsession of volunteers. That might be the same deal where you live and it might not.

Plenty of folk music, and other, programs have disappeared from the airwaves because management committees "identify an alternative developing demographic", or some such blah, and there are presenters who jump before they're pushed, either to the 12-2am slot or out the door completely. Someone might have thought those programs failed but I wouldn't be so harsh.

Our station's 'footprint' covers about 100,000 people across the region but we can't afford to conduct full blown listener surveys so usually our presenters don't know whether anyone's tuned in unless the phone rings. That uncertainty becomes too frustrating for some presenters and they leave. Has their program failed? Not in my book.

Sure, it's always good to get those phone calls and to have those conversations in the street about a great track from last week's program (it's a small town!), but I won't judge success or failure in that way. In my case, I just enjoy having two hours each week to share the music without feeling guilty about not mowing the grass or clearing leaves out of the gutters.

A good way for you to help a program survive is (a) listen to it and (b) find a way to give comments - preferably constructive - to the presenter and/or the station. Tell them you're listening and want to keep listening. It won't help after the program has been replaced by 'Hits of the '70s' so get in now if you have something to say.

As a presenter, I know it's healthy to review my own program and to get feedback. For about two years I used to include one designated 'Bad Taste' track on each program until too many people said they couldn't understand why I thought such nice songs were in bad taste. OK - that might have been a failed idea. (You'll have to trust me. Some were really bad.)

Little Hawk probably got it right by observing that folk programs don't fail - they end. Eventually I could decide to spend more time with the family, or stop driving through ice to the radio station in winter, or move away, or use the time to start on the mountain of unread books sitting next to the CD collection, or I might just get bored with the whole thing. Whatever the reason, I hope I won't think my program failed. All things must pass.

I'm usually a lurker, but this thread pressed buttons.

Bruce