'Oral transmission of songs sung by ordinary people is - or was - a distinct social process. Traditional songs are - by and large - songs that have come out of that process.'

Phil, I totally agree with that statement, but the purpose of this 'debate' is to establish whether it is possible to have a NEW folk song. The 'folk process' continues, but as I pointed out, and you in part acknowledged, society and technology have changed, the 'process' has not died, but continues in a different way, so I stand by what I said earlier, that the notion that a song can ONLY be a folk song if it was the subject of oral transmission is an outdated romantic notion!