| Rural Free Delivery TV | |
|---|---|
| Launched | December, 2000 |
| Owned by | RFD Communications, Inc. |
| Slogan | Rural America's Most Important Network |
| Headquarters | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Sister channel(s) | Rural TV |
| Website | RFDTV.com |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Selective TV Inc. (Alexandria, MN) |
K34AF, Channel 34 |
| SW CO TV Translator Assoc. (Cortez, CO) |
K22CU-D, Channel 22.3 |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | Channel 345 |
| Dish Network | Channel 231 (SD/HD) |
| C-Band - H2H/4DTV | AMC 18 - Channel 226 |
| C-Band - Free-To-Air | AMC-1 Freq: 3915 SR: 4410 FEC: 2/3 QPSK |
| Cable | |
| Available on some cable systems | Check local listings |
| IPTV | |
| Verizon FiOS | Channel 247 |
| Sky Angel | Channel 333 |
RFD-TV, or Rural Free Delivery TV, is a United States satellite and cable television channel devoted to rural issues, concerns, and interests. The channel's name is a reference to Rural Free Delivery, the name for the United States Postal Service's system of delivering mail directly to rural patrons. Production and uplinking occurs at Northstar Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, while the corporate and national sales office is in Omaha, Nebraska.
The station was launched in December 2000 and is currently distributed via the Dish Network and DirecTV satellite systems, as well as through the Mediacom, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Comcast, Verizon FiOS and Time Warner cable systems.[1][2]
The network has begun to extend its brand further, opening a theater in Branson, Missouri called RFD-TV The Theater (housed in the former venue of comedian Ray Stevens) in early 2007, and launched an HDTV version of the channel in the fall.[3]
It is marketed as "Rural America's Most Important Network" and its programming is similar to the now-defunct The Nashville Network (which was eventually replaced by Spike). A U.K. version called Rural TV launched on March 2nd, 2009.
Much of the programming of RFD-TV is concerned with the culture of farming and agriculture, as well as the culture of the Great Plains of North America and the agriculture associated with that area. The network does not air infomercials, instead supplementing its advertising revenue with the sales of a company magazine and other merchandise. The network also restricts its advertising and programming to products, advertisements, and shows fit to be seen by a family audience; products such as erectile dysfunction medications and male enhancement products are not shown on RFD-TV.[4] The network does feature traditional 30-second advertising commercials and holds special phone-in forums from time to time sponsored by organizations such as Monsanto (for their RoundUp product line), John Deere, and the Medicare program, though the sponsorship of each program is clearly disclaimed in programming listings and disclaimers and hosts do not have interests in the products.
At least two stations broadcast RFD-TV over the air: Selective TV, Inc. broadcasts RFD-TV in the Alexandria, Minnesota area as part of a slate of cable-to-air channels, on channel 34. K22CU in Cortez, Colorado, part of a similar slate of channels, broadcasts RFD-TV on its digital subchannel, 22.3. RFD-TV also offers its programming via subscription Internet television.
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When Don Imus returned to radio in late 2007, he had also struck a deal to simulcast Imus in the Morning on RFD-TV. The program broadcast from 6am to 9am on weekdays, along with a primetime play of the program on RFD-HD (which features a different programming schedule from RFD-TV's SD slate). During much of the show's run, a news ticker was shown with the day's news, much like Imus' days on MSNBC. The program left RFD-TV on August 28, 2009, and moved to Fox Business Network several weeks later.[5]
One of the very first programs to be aired on RFD-TV was "The Big Joe Polka Show", a Polka and dance variety program hosted by Omaha resident Joseph "Big Joe" Siedlik, which continued to be popular among the network's estimated (approximately) 40-plus million available households until its final RFD-TV airing on 01 January 2011. In 2010, litigation commenced between RFD-TV and Polka Cassettes of Nebraska, the creators/producers of "The Big Joe Polka Show" involving several lawsuits and counter suits (mostly over a contractual dispute). RFD-TV contends they had an option to air the program until December 31, 2010, while Polka Cassettes of Nebraska contends that the show was being aired against their wishes, and after cessation of the effectiveness of the previous contract, which expired on December 31, 2009. In August 2010, a multi-million dollar "slander and defamation" suit was brought against Polka Cassettes of Nebraska by RFD-TV.[6]
The show was replaced by "The RFD-TV Polka Fest" on 05 January 2011, and airs during the same time schedule.
Other programs added in Winter 2007-08 included a revival of Crook & Chase and Bluegrass & Backroads.[7]
The following programs were aired on RFD-TV at one point, but are no longer listed on the official website.