From: HENKLE@VAXA.CIS.UWOSH.EDU (Doug Henkle, Univ of Wis Oshkosh)
Newsgroups: rec.music.folk
Subject: Folk Music radio is in trouble
Date: 16 Nov 1992 12:15:56 -0600
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     I have been enjoying the discussion in rec.music.folk about the
various Folk Music radio programs to choose from in the New York and
California areas.  But Washington, DC, Vermont, Wisconsin and other places
do not have this PROBLEM? of too many good shows to listen to.  In some
places where there was only one program, they now have none, and in other
places, listeners have to fight a desparate battle to save what they have. 
So, please be sure to support every program you enjoy and make sure that
the radio station that brings it to you knows that you support it, in no
uncertain terms, via Public Radio pledging and every other way you can
think of.  If you don't, your favorite Bluegrass, Folk Music, World Music
or other (what radio station executives call "specialty") program may be
the next to go.

     Just in case you weren't aware that there was a problem, the
following copy of a file I placed in the Music Archives yesterday should
give you a better view of the big picture.

                                  Doug
                            henkle@vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu
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ftp.uwp.edu  (131.210.1.4)  /pub/music/folk/folk_radio_death_notices

Copyright, 1992 Douglas H. Henkle (editor)          (last updated 11-15-92)
                           henkle@vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu

Various articles about the death of Folk Music radio programs
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#A)  "Simply Folk", Wisconsin Public Radio, on death row, article
#B)  "Simply Folk", Wisconsin Public Radio, on death row, letter to WPR
#C)  "Simply Folk", Wisconsin Public Radio, on death row, form letter

     Other articles I have written for permission to reprint here.

"The Lee Michael Demsey Show", Washington, DC, canceled 1-15-92

     "Folk Off the Air"
          from "Sing Out!", May-July 1992, Vol. 37(1), p. 9-10

"Rural Rhythms", Vermont Public Radio, canceled Fall 1992

     "Last Minute News"
          from "Sing Out!", Oct 1992 - Jan 1993, Vol. 37(3), p. 73

The Editorial in the 3/92 issue of "Folk Roots" tells of the BBC ploy of
moving popular "specialty" shows (like Folk Music, World Music and
Bluegrass) to bad time slots, where they can be killed later because of
poor ratings.

The Editorial in the 6/92 issue of "Folk Roots" tells of a similar BBC
ploy of scheduling specialty programs with similar audiences in the same
time slots on different radio and TV channels, again for the express
purpose of generating the poor ratings that will justify their
predetermined intent of kicking these programs off the air.

An article in "The Old-Time Herald", Aug-Oct 1992, "Turn Your Radio On",
by Rachel Goodman, lists Folk and Old-Time Music programs in trouble, and
discusses methods that listeners can use to try and save these programs.

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#A)  [Editor's note: As background to the following three articles,
"Simply Folk" has been broadcasting statewide on Wisconsin Public Radio
(WPR) for over 12 years.  Becca Puliam, Tom Martin Erickson and Judy
Woodward (now Judy Rose) have done an excellent job of hosting this show,
promoting Folk Music, producing sampler albums of Wisconsin artists, and
recording live concerts for rebroadcast.  Becca moved out of Wisconsin
several years ago, leaving Tom and Judy to host the program on Saturday
(7-9 pm Central time, after Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion",
and its successor, "American Radio Company"), and Sunday (5-8 pm).  About
two years ago Tom was given another job at WPR and the Saturday night time
slot was canceled.  The time was used to expand the Jazz Music program
that now follows Garrison's show.
     "Simply Folk" samplers and other albums featuring Wisconsin artists
are available from WPR.  Write for a free catalog to:
"The Radio Store, P.O. Box 5006, Madison, WI 53705".
     The Folk Music calendar of events which used to be read during the
program is still read by Judy, and available 24 hours a day, but only over
the phone, and only if you have a touch-tone phone, at 1-800-442-7108.
The calendar is updated once a week on Monday morning (or Tuesday, if
Monday is a holiday).]

"Operation: Simply Folk"
          from "Mad Folk News", November 1992, Vol. 18(11), p. 1,
          newsletter of the Madison (WI) Folk Music Society,
          reprinted with permission from Mike Tuten, President.

     (A message from Mike)

     As of July 1, 1992, Judy Rose has been working with a half-time
contract that is non-renewable.  Further, Wisconsin Public Radio
management has directed her to focus the music played to songs of Northern
European and Appalachian traditions and to eliminate the calendar from the
program.
     On October 2, 1992, I met with Mr. Schnirring, the person at WPR
responsible for these actions.  Enclosed is a copy of a letter I sent him
as a result of this meeting.  On October 20, Mad Folk Board Member Vicky
Jones and I met with Luke Lamb, director of telecommunications, and Jack
Mitchell, director of radio, to discuss these matters.
     At that meeting, Vicky and I had the feeling that while WPR
management personnel have a commitment to folk music, they do not realize
the tremendous resource they have in Judy Rose and how much her leaving
would seriously affect the quality of folk music programming.  Our society
will be doing everything we can to correct this situation, focusing on
ways to encourage management to better interact with, and respond to, its
listeners.
      Enclosed is a green letter and pre-addressed envelope.  If you agree
with the sentiments expressed, please date, sign and provide your address
before mailing it in.  Feel free to add your own comments.  We want WPR to
realize the folk music community knows of these actions and does not
approve!
      WPR also needs to know that our folk community financially supports
Simply Folk.  During the pledge drive later this month, pledge generously. 
At the same time let them know you expect our voices to be heard and
heeded.
      Hopefully, these actions will lead to a dialogue between our
community and WPR that will address these concerns to everyone's
satisfaction. - Mike Tuten

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#B)  [A letter to Wisconsin Public Radio management, reprinted with
     permission from Mike Tuten, President of the Madison (WI) Folk
     Music Society.]

                                 October 8, 1992

Greg Schnirring
Associate Director of Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio
821 University Avenue
Madison, Wisconsin 53706-9763

Dear Greg,

     This letter expresses the position of our Society on the current
status of "Simply Folk".

     We believe Wisconsin Public Radio and our Society share a common
interest in preserving and promoting folk music both within our respective
communities and beyond.  However, it appears there are substantial
differences in our views on how this can best be accomplished!

     Our Society's definition of folk music encompasses much more than 
music from Northern European/Appalachian traditions.  While our Society
appreciates this tradition, we also actively seek performers representing
African, South and Central American, Native American, Asian and Eastern
and Southern European heritages.  We hope the management at Wisconsin 
Public Radio shares this vision.

     In our view, the actions of Wisconsin Public Radio towards the radio 
show "Simply Folk" demonstrate a drastic reduction in WPR's prior 
commitment to the needs and desires of Wisconsin's Folk Music community. 
The past few years have seen the on air programming cut from five hours to
three, and a reduction of the staffing level from two full time positions
to a half time position.  This amounts to a 40% reduction in air time and
an incredible 75% reduction in production staff!  In light of this, we
feel that any statement that WPR is maintaining its commitment to "Simply
Folk" is absurd.

     We understand Judy Rose is actively seeking full time employment 
elsewhere because her programmer's position has been cut to half time.  We
find your statement that you are not forcing her to leave to be completely
without merit.  We are quite sure that if WPR told you that your position
were reduced to half time that you also would feel compelled to seek full
time employment elsewhere.

     We believe Judy Rose offers outstanding expertise and knowledge of 
folk music, very broadly defined, that few others in this nation, let
alone Wisconsin, possess.  WPR management's failure to recognize the
tremendous resource provided by Ms. Rose is incomprehensible to our
Society.  Instead of forcing her to resign, we feel WPR should be seeking
ways to capitalize on the resource she provides.  Not only do we feel
there should be more air time for "Simply Folk", we suggest WPR look at
syndication of the program.

     Ms. Rose's current job search illustrates quite clearly, we think, 
how a half time programming position for "Simply Folk" severely limits the
pool of qualified candidates for the position.  Your suggestion that the
quality of the programming on "Simply Folk" will not suffer with a
reduction of the staff time allocated for this work does not make any
sense to us.  As we see it, "Simply Folk" needs the talents of someone who
can commit herself fully to the job.  In other words, the program is her
full time job for which she, in return, receives a living wage. In our
view, that person should be Judy Rose.  Anything less than this we feel is
unacceptable.

     This leads us to a question I raised with you during our meeting on
Friday, October 2, 1992.  Our Society would like to know how the funds
raised in support of "Simply Folk" compare to the funds raised by other
programs on WPR and how those programs' staffing levels compare to Simply
Folk.

     We would also like to know if funds raised by "Simply Folk" are
allocated to other programs.  If they have been, we do not believe this
has been disclosed to the "Simply Folk" audience and should be disclosed
in all future public fund raising by WPR.  Please respond to these
questions at your earliest convenience.

     In our view, WPR management has initiated other changes which further
weaken the value and viability of "Simply Folk".  As we discussed during
our meeting, the substitution of the 800 number for the calendar portion
of the show drastically reduces the number of people receiving this
information.

     As I indicated to you, by chance my work has given me an opportunity
to assess the number of Wisconsin households with touch tone phones.  In
the survey work my colleagues and I did, we found that about 90% of the
population we called did not possess a touch tone phone. Since the 800
number requires a touch tone phone, the population that can use this
service appears to be severely limited.

     In sampling the sentiments of our members, we find that the calendar
represents a significant portion of the program that is seriously missed. 
Not only do our members listen to the program for its music content, we
also want to hear the calendar to find out who's playing where in and
around the state.  It is not uncommon for our members to travel halfway
across the state to attend a performance we learned about through the
calendar.  For many of us, it is considered a community bulletin board and
serves to bind us together.  We want this valuable function returned to
"Simply Folk".

     We also are concerned that management may be limiting the music
content of the program.  As we indicated earlier in this letter, our
definition of folk music is expansive and ever increasingly so.  To do
otherwise we feel would be to severely limit ourselves and to miss truly
outstanding pieces of music in other traditions.  Furthermore, by
expanding our awareness to other traditions we increase our knowledge,
understanding and comfort level of and with them. In the past this seemed
to be a part of the mission of "Simply Folk" and we hope it continues in
the future.

     We hope this letter clarifies the issues we discussed earlier and can
lead to further dialogue and actions which benefit not only "Simply Folk"
but the entire Folk Music and Dance community.  We look forward to working
with you to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution.

                                 Sincerely,

                                 Michael R. Tuten
                                 President

                                 (414) 255-2833

[Editorial comment: By not allowing the programming of African, Native
American and Eastern European Folk Music, this does not necessarily mean
that Wisconsin Public Radio management is in favor of apartheid, broken
treaty rights and ethnic cleansing, but some people could take it that
way.  DHH]

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#C)  [A form letter drafted by the Madison (WI) Folk Music Society and
     reprinted with permission from Mike Tuten, President.  Feel free to
     draft your own letter, or cut out, sign and send in the following.]

                                    Date:

Greg Schnirring
Associate Director of Radio
Wisconsin Public Radio
821 University Avenue
Madison, Wisconsin 53706-9763


Dear Mr. Schnirring:

     I share the position of The Madison Folk Music Society on the current
status of "Simply Folk".

      First, I want to hear folk music from African, South and Central
American, Eastern and Southern European, Native American and Asian as well
as Northern European/Appalachian traditions. "Simply Folk" should be
completely free to draw from these and other traditions as well.  I look
to "Simply Folk" for folk music which ranges from the cutting edge of the
new singer/songwriters to old time music which reflects this country's
heritage.

      The actions of Wisconsin Public Radio towards "Simply Folk"
demonstrate a drastic reduction in WPR's prior commitment to the needs and
desires of Wisconsin's folk music community.  Cutting the on air
programming from five hours to three, and reducing the staffing level from
two full time positions to one half time position amounts to a 40%
reduction in air time and an incredible 75% reduction in production staff! 
I too request the programming staff level be increased to at least one
full time position.

      Judy Rose offers outstanding expertise and knowledge of folk music
that few others in this nation, let alone Wisconsin, possess. I feel WPR
should be seeking ways to capitalize on the resource she provides; keeping
her as the producer, providing her with more air time and looking at
syndication of the program.

      The calendar represents a significant portion of the program that
is severely missed.  I rely on this folk music bulletin board to tell me
who's playing where in and around the state.  Just listening to it and
knowing what's happening in folk music makes me feel more connected to the
folk music community.  I want this valuable function returned to "Simply
Folk".

      I would appreciate a chance to further discuss these matters with
you.  Please contact me at the address below.

                           Sincerely,

                      Name:

                   Address:

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