If (and it's a big if) I were one of the judges on something like the Folk Awards, I think the very first thing I would insist on would be anonymity.

Given the prevalence of The Great Folk Conspiracy Theory you don't stand a cat in hell's chance of satisfying everyone with your nominations; your email and phone and Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn (and maybe even letter box) will be deluged by the marketing departments of all the major labels flogging their latest bloke-with-guitar product, combined with all the relentless self-publicists who would do well to put as much effort and time into the actual music as they do into their barrage of promotion; and at the end of the day you'll just end up being accused of being a corporate shill anyway.

Derek's right - I wouldn't be at all surprised if the BBC didn't give up in this face of this wholly manufactured storm in a teacup, and kick the Folk Awards into touch. And then within 6 months the very same people getting on their high horses about The Great Folk Conspiracy will be whining that the BBC's 'unfair to folk music' by not broadcasting more ...