Mike (AKA Will Fly) has answered for me. Ian and fRoots are trying their best to keep an independent magazine going in an in the worst global downturn in decades. Look around the international folk music magazine market - what happened to Dirty Linen? Where is Penguin Eggs? How long is it since Living Traditions were putting on issues on a regular basis (is it two issues in 18 months?) Why is the daddy of all the folk magazines, Sing Out seeking wildly for big donations from its subscribers to keep itself going.

And - please don't take this the wrong way because I think you know that I am not trying to get at you or put you down - why is it so important to you what Ian and fRoots have achieved? They are only one aspect of the the whole scene, yet you seem very focussed on them in your postings here.