A network for rural America. (RFD TV: rural America's most important network).

RFD-TV, the nation's first 24-hour television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests of rural America, is striking a chord with rural and city dwellers across the country. Full-time distribution is now on DISH Network reaching 7.2 million homes; DIRECTV reaching 11.4 million homes; Mediacom cable reaching 1.6 million; and the National Cable Television Cooperative in 14.5 million homes. By the end of the year, RFD-TV will be in more than 30 million homes.

RFD-TV provides satellite and cable customers with rural news, event and convention coverage, horse training tips and features, agricultural information, traditional music, and family-oriented programming. Programs include: "U.S. Farm Report," "Prairie Farm Report," "Ag PhD," "California Country," "This Week in Louisiana Agriculture," and "The Georgia Farm Monitor," along with weekly features and shows from 17 other state Farm Bureau organizations, the FFA, 4-H, and other major ag organizations. USDA press conferences are carried live, with primetime repeats with the USDA and Larry Quinn receiving feedback.

Superior Livestock's video cattle auctions are carried live, along with horse auctions from the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse & Burro program. RFD-TV features the top equine trainers each week including Pat Parelli, Clinton Anderson, John Lyons, Linda Tellington-Jones, Meredith Hodges, along with programs from all major breed associations and events.

The ag network is in the process of producing an evening, primetime RFD-TV "Rural Evening News" program, which is being hosted by Orion Samuelson and Tom Steever in Chicago.

"Response from the audience is off-the-charts. This network is the bridge to not only communicate directly to rural America in primetime and all hours, but is also proving to be a tremendous educational tool to city viewers," says Patrick Gottsch, RFD-TV president.

In a 2002 survey of viewers, RFD-TV discovered that many of the viewers are farm and country homeowners with an interest in equine, livestock, and row crop and pasture management. Gottsch says the introduction of RFD-TV is revolutionizing communication to rural audiences. "Now farmers, ranchers and rural dwellers can watch agriculture-specific programming in primetime right from their easy chair," he says.

There are also unique benefits to advertisers and agricultural companies. RFD-TV allows agriculture entities to get their message out in primetime rather than at four in the morning. "We offer half-hour or one-hour programs that get into the details of new agricultural products," Gottsch explains. "This is something that has never been available to the ag advertiser before now."