After recently rejoicing that the newly merged XM/Sirius Satellite radio kept their folk music channel after purging numerous other offerings, the XM/Sirius management has decided to give THE VILLAGE a “vacation” for the holiday season in order to make room for a channel of “Holiday Traditions” – a channel dedicated to Christmas music from the 1940’s through the 1960’s with artists like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Andy Williams and others.

Hey – here is a newflash to the management of XM/Sirius – you may not realize it, but it appears that every radio market in the nation has at least one station that changes their format to holiday music at this time of year. Throw in all the Muzak-type offerings that fill the shopping malls and you can get your fill of holiday music FOR FREE. Why does the brainthrust at satellite radio feel the need to give us more of the same – and expect people to pay???????

I’m hoping this is just a simple error in judgement. When satellite radio appeared on the scene in 2001 it was an opportunity to change the radio landscape. Commercial (and even non-commercial) radio stations have gone through a blender in the past few decades. The creativity and excitement that created the radio industry was swept aside by bottom-line driven accountants and marketing-types.

Satellite radio was going to be an opportunity to get back to the core reasons that people fell in love with radio. For those who subscribed, it did exactly that. Satellite radio fans, a growing legion, developed a loyalty to the offerings on XM and Sirius and there were signs that radio could once again play a major role in our lives.

As a folkie, I fell in love with THE VILLAGE. Mary Sue Twohy, the music director for XM’s folk music channel, has done an incredible job in developing a playlist that reflects the diversity of folk music – from the commercial hits of the folk revival to today’s emerging singer-songwriters. Along with her boss, Robert Aubrey Davis (an icon in the Washington DC radio market before coming to XM), the Village has become an important 24/7 home for folk music. The Village program lineup also includes The Midnight Special, a Chicago based program hosted by Rich Warren that began in the 1950’s. Michael Jonathan’s “Woodsongs“, a live-revue program can also be heard weekly as well as a monthly series that features guest hosts from around the nation (yours truly and my co-host Bill Hahn were honored with shows earlier this year.)

There is still hope. The Village is officially on hiatus and due to return after the holidays. (One report said the Village would be back on Dec. 26, another said Jan. 2.) I strongly urge XM subscribers to write to management to protest this “vacation”. While it may seem like a small break, there is always the dark cloud that The Village could be dropped in the future. It is very easy for management to program yet another 24/7 channel with music of a specific artists (such as the current channels Springsteen, Grateful Dead, Elvis, and others.)

We want variety. I am sure there are fans for whatever type of music that can be offered. A folk music channel is unique. We are also at a unique point in our history. There is a “new” folk scene building that features some outstanding singer-songwriters who are beginning to emerge. There is also a rekindling of interest in traditional music that is beginning to build – and while young musicians may be offering it in their own unique style, it is encouraging that artists are celebrating our roots and dipping into the American songbag once again. A national channel on Satellite radio that can beam in this type of programming on a daily basis can be a catalyst for even greater options. When people become more familiar with artists, they tend to support live concerts. Music sales can increase. Terrestrial radio also benefits as the audience grows – satellite radio is not meant to replace what a local station gives back to their community.

I hope that satellite radio can get itself on the right track once again and live up to the promise that created the need. Should the merger turn the offerings into a mirror of the commercial mess that has passed for terrestrial radio in recent years, we will have missed what may be our best opportunity to showcase creativity.