Much as I would like to hear more folk and roots music on the BBC, I have the impression that the situtation is better than it was 10 years ago, on the whole. Here's the perspective from someone in England.

In the early 90s I could tune into:
Radio 2 - Folk on Two (Jim Lloyd); various half hour special series (such as Barn Dance, Mandy Prior on acapella singing; Young Tradition Awards
Local - Folk programmes on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk
Radio 1 - Andy Kershaw and some programming from John Peel
World Service - Ian Anderson
Only very occasional things on TV
Radio 4 - Occasional features from Woman's Hour
Radio 3 - various series on ethnomusicology, but not very high profile

Now:
Radio 2 - Mike Harding has replaced Jim Lloyd; fewer specialist series; but the Folk Awards and Young Tradition Awards are doing well
Local - local BBC radio has all but stoped broadcasting folk (Cambs and Essex certainly don't), which I think is a great shame for music on a local level
Radio 1 - just bits and pieces on Peel now
Radio 3 - Kershaw's moved there, where World Routes, Late Junction are also flying a flag for folk musics from all over the world; World Music Awards
Radio 4 - Woman's Hour still interviewing people like Kate Rusby, Eliza Carthy and Linda Thompson
Digital Radio - Asian Network broadcasting some material
TV - occasional coverage on BBCs 1 & 2, but a lot more on BBC 4 (which is unfortunately available to a small minority at the moment)
Internet - for those who have access to streamed audio on the Net (more than have access to Digital TV) there's relatively easy access to the programmes mentioned above, and the ones in Scotland, Wales &


I feel that there's a marked improvement in England, but there's still a long way to go, especially when compared with coverage on BBC Scotland!

Jane