I've not bothered to read too much of this thread but one thing struck me from the knowlegeable Derek Schofield, and I have deliberatley pulled this particular part from his earlier post:-
But it's only an hour, there are as many opinions as there are folkies (certainly on Mudcat) and the programme, I am sure, has all sort of pressures from the BBC. Those pressures are probably financial (have you seen the cut backs throughout the BBC?) and no doubt artistic in order to keep up the ratings.
My view of this is that the BBC is a public broadcaster,and should not be chasing ratings. How many times has a well known pop star been on the BBC promoting their latest single/album/fitness video at our expense? Is it because these people are on there so often that the BBC cannot, and does not, fulfill its charter?
John Barden