Well, I've been put on to this thread by an old school chum who said my programme on Radio Manchester/GMR had received a mention. (I also play in the ceilidh band that performed at the Irish Centre last Friday mentioned by Les; I still get around after all these years!)
I rather take exception to the "amateurish" label levelled at the show. I assume it was my show he was referring to rather than the previous show back in the 70's. Of course it was "amateurish"; it was done by an amateur! Me! I was never a professional broadcaster but I received loads of positive mail during the run of the show from 1984-1989 about my support for local folk music as well as reflecting the national and even world tastes in folk and world music. You can't please all the people etc....The station liked what I did for five years and the prog. was only rested when Martin Henfield took the reins and took the "local" out of "local radio"!
Incidentally, I spoke to the station manager a few months ago and in passing mentioned the lack of a folk show on GMR and he didn't seem to enamoured with the prospect. Still, keep lobbying all!
Mike Billington. ex.broadcaster, ex.actor, ex.civil servant, ex.morris dancer, ex.writer, ex.folk club organiser and ex.Rebec!