For my monthly programme on PhoenixFM in West Yorkshire UK, I always play to air from CD although both the CD players and the Myriad playback system will cope with mp3. Some of the CDs I play in are compilations made in advance and include mp3s downloaded from web sites and reconfigured for CD (ie. to AIF 44.1kHz 16 bit). There are occasional quality issues but they derive from using low quality mp3.

I have no problem with mp3 quality in the local broadcast context. MP3 is a variable format and the main quality issue arises when the bit rate is low. Stereo mp3s at 320 kB/s are usually good enough as long as they haven't been through analogue transfer processes.

Last programme, I used some Brian Peters tracks downloaded from his web site and they worked well in the absence of a CD because the mp3s were good quality. This time, as I'm in Australia and Pete Coe is hosting the programme, I'm preparing a feature on two Western Australian artists (Bernard Carney and Emily Barker who are touring UK soon) and I'll prepare it on my laptop, send it to the station as a high quality mp3 and back it up with a full quality CD in the post. Both will be adequate for broadcast.

As far as playing Marion's track goes, if it was well performed and backed up with a story as Anahata suggests, then I'd be far more likely to use it than use a mainstream artist. As with many UK folk stations, my aim is to fill in the enormous gap left after the BBC have filled their weekly (weakly) hour. Using well performed and innovative material that listeners can't hear elsewhere is preferred.

Johnny Adams - sheltering from a record breaking heatwave in South Australia.