We discuss a quantum information channel which is based on a coherent and polarization sensitive interaction of light and atomic spin waves. We show that the joint Heisenberg dynamics of the Stokes polarization components of light and of the angular momenta of atoms has a wave nature and can be properly described in terms of the macroscopic polariton-type spin wave created in the sample. The principles of the quantum memory and readout protocols via the wave coupling of the output time modes in the light subsystem and the output spatial modes in the spin subsystem are demonstrated.