The inevitability of Andy Kershaw's axing from BBC Radio 1 - let's face it, we all saw it coming when protests at his banishment to the graveyard slot failed to have any effect - doesn't make it any less disgraceful. We've received literally hundreds of emails from people with reactions varying from outrage to sadness, many of which were copies of ones which had gone to various BBC suits, so you can be sure they know what we're thinking. Sadly, at time of going to press there were no signs of any positive developments.

Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt - eloquently described in a Guardian piece by Frances Wheen as "a forgettable little squirt who rose without trace... the embarrassing uncle disco-dancing at a wedding reception" - is clearly immune to insults or logical persuasion. Over at Radio 2, where many have suggested that Kershaw's weekly show ought to be transferred immediately, controller James Moir is telling people that "Radio 2's schedule has been set up to the Spring of 2001 and there are no plans currently to move Andy Kershaw on to the network." All the signs are that BBC Radio is closing ranks and hoping to be rid of a man who - by being a knowledgeable, passionate music enthusiast not unknown for standing up to company idiocy and therefore "difficult" - isn't what they want. As a fellow ex-BBC presenter who has been told privately that as a result of daring to suggest certain BBC programmes could be improved, I am "unlikely to work on BBC national radio again", I'm hardly optimistic.

The 40,000 readers of fRoots must keep up a constant pressure until something improves for our music at the BBC (Andy told us "This would have happened years ago without you and the readers"). By all accounts the BBC takes notice of its emails so here they are: Andy Parfitt, Controller of Radio1 is andy.parfitt@bbc.co.uk, James Moir at Radio 2 is james.moir@bbc.co.uk, Jenny Abramsky (controller of network radio, i.e. their boss) is jenny.abramsky@bbc.co.uk , Alan Yentob ("controller of talent") is alan.yentob@bbc.co.uk and so the Director General therefore ought to be greg.dyke@bbc.co.uk

As well as an insult to an award winning, experienced presenter, this is now a national scandal in terms of public service broadcasting. I hardly need to re-exercise here the arguments and statistics about CD sales, concert and festival audiences and how these are almost totally unreflected on national Radio, how there's little opportunity for live sessions, for new artists to break through, for this wealth of music to inspire Radio 1's target youth audience. Even if Kershaw was taken up by Radio 2, that would put out a signal that this is only music for comfortable, middle-of-the-road, greying people. Guilt by association. Bollocks! No wonder the UK's current pop music, mostly a sad parade of corporate clones and wannabe Americans, is such a rootless, characterless, artistic and export disaster area these days.

I'm sorry that we snuck a cover price increase on you at short notice (though it doesn't effect existing subscriptions of course). New Post Office charges put our costs up by nearly 9% in April, and a major news chain is imposing take-it-or-leave-it increases in their margins. We run to stand still.

Place orders now! Next month is our annual summer double, complete with another wonderful exclusive CD that we've just finished compiling. And an exclusive interview with a certain mega-famous multi-million selling artist whose new band appears at Cambridge and Cropredy, talking about his enthusiasms for our music. Shame they're not shared by the BBC. Maybe we should persuade him to buy it...!

Ian Anderson

If you wish to comment, castigate or (heaven forbid) congratulate the editor - or any other writer in Folk Roots for that matter - in print, send your letter to letters@froots.demon.co.uk

Home Page | This month's issue | Subscribe! | Come Write Me Down