There are lots of community radio stations all around the country who will play a folk show if you can convince them you can do it.

Start a one hour programme with a tune that people will probably be familiar with. I use "Music for A Found Harmonium" it's been a film tune and a background tune for an Ad and thus played a lot on TV. (MFI - so it wasn't all that good!!)

Then I play something folky but not too folky so the stray listener stays with the programme. Then I play something fairly hard line folky because I want to retain the folk listener.

After that it is a matter of judgement. Try not to play material in the same key following each other. You can contrast (man/woman - tune/song - modern/trad etc....or you can follow like with like.

You need a big (if not huge) record library. Minimum (I'd say 250 CD's). Week one you can play your favourite records - week two you are running out of material, by week five you have played all the tracks you own. Unless you are repeating.

(You must realise not all tracks on a CD are suitable for playing on radio. Too long, too short etc etc.)

Playing straight music with intro's you need about 12/14 records per hour or thereabouts. You need CDs, MP 3s are not very good by the time you get to the listener. My radio station refuses to use them.

You need to be able to write a script with each track - even if you don't use it. I use Excel to time the show and make a PRS Sheeet out.

Finish with a tune for each hour, you can fade a tune much easier than a song.

Learn all the jargon you can.

Do you want to give up one day each week (without preparation) to put the show on?

Be prepared to play music you are not especially fond of. Unless you believe that everyone ought to like all the artsts you like and no others.

Can you manage the technical skills? It is a bit like rubbing your head and patting your stomach at the same time. The radio station I work for uses this as a test:

Sit squarely in a chair and lift your right foot off the floor. Move that foot in a clockwise direction. Keeping the foot moving in the same direction and draw the number 6 in the air.

Can you do that? That's what it is like "driving" a desk.