RFD-TV

Last updated

RFD-TV
RFD TV.svg
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaUnited States
Headquarters Nashville, Tennessee
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format 1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerRural Media Group, Inc.
Sister channels The Cowboy Channel
History
LaunchedDecember 1, 2000;23 years ago (2000-12-01)
Links
Website www.rfdtv.com
Availability
Terrestrial
Digital terrestrial television 36.1 (Redwood Falls, Minnesota)
22.1 (Cortez, Colorado) [1]
Streaming media
Service(s)RFD-TV Now, Sling TV

RFD-TV is an American pay television channel owned by Rural Media Group, Inc. The channel features programming 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 facilities for RFD-TV are located at 49 Music Square West, Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. RFD-TV's sister radio channel is Rural Radio on Sirius XM. [2] RFD-TV formerly owned a theater in Branson, Missouri where some variety shows that air on RFD-TV were filmed, as well as the Imus Ranch in Ribera, New Mexico. [3] [4]

Contents

RFD-TV is the flagship network for Rural Media Group. Launched in December 2000, RFD-TV is the nation's first 24-hour television network featuring programming focused on the agribusiness, equine and the rural lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment.

As of 2017, RFD-TV operates on a full-service format. Mornings and the early part of daytime feature syndicated newsmagazines and a five-hour block of news, weather (forecasting services on the network are outsourced to The Weather Channel) and agricultural commodity market prices, in the basic format of an American cable news outlet. An additional newscast airs during the evening hours. The remainder of the daytime and evening schedule consists of horse-related magazines, coverage of rodeo and other Western sports, rural lifestyle programs, reruns of classic television programs with rural appeal, and music programs centered around country music, polka, and Southern gospel.

Infomercials, which were previously publicly banned from the network, appear during the overnight hours. The network also features brokered programming in the form of its call-in program Rural America Live, and brokered televangelism from Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah and John Hagee.

As of February 2015, RFD-TV is available to approximately 52 million pay television households (44.8% of households with television) in the United States. [5] It is currently carried by satellite providers Dish Network and DirecTV and their associated streaming services (Sling TV and DirecTV Stream, respectively), as well as through cable providers such as Mediacom, Charter Communications, Cox Communications and Armstrong. [6] [7] In addition to its subscription coverage, RFD-TV is offered as an Internet television feed; the feed is currently paywalled and requires a paying subscription. In March 2020, RFD-TV launched a streaming app RFD-TV Now, making RFD-TV programming available on tablets, phones, and connected TVs. [8] It was added to Sling TV on April 4, 2017, as part of the "Heartland Extra" add-on service. [9] With an average of 136,000 viewers in 2016, RFD-TV has some of the highest viewership relative to availability compared to other "ultra-niche" networks with similar or wider distribution owned by major corporations. [10]

History

RFD-TV (Rural Free Delivery Television) was launched in 1988 by Patrick Gottsch. The channel was not picked up by any carriers. [11] This attempt ended in bankruptcy. Another attempt was made in the 1990s, but could not get funding. [12] Gottsch continued to look for programming. [11] Beginning in 2000, the channel was a non-profit. [13] RFD-TV was picked up by Dish Network in December 2000 [14] then DirecTV in 2002. [13] It was initially launched as a nonprofit channel, using a loophole in federal regulations to encourage the two satellite providers to pick up the channel by carrying educational and informational content, an idea originally suggested by Dish Network. [15] The Federal Communications Commission struck down this effort in 2007 due to the channel's reliance on commercial television content. [16] The channel was then restructured as a for-profit enterprise, for which it rented a Nashville studio and hired experienced TV executives including Ed Frazier, former Liberty Sports CEO. [12]

RFD-TV was initially conceived as effectively four channels in one space: an agriculture channel, a horse channel, a rural music and entertainment channel, and a rural lifestyle channel, relying mainly on existing programming from the syndicated market to fill its broadcast day. [15] The acquisition of Imus in the Morning in 2007 after over a decade on MSNBC was designed to retain its satellite carriage after the FCC ruling as well as convince additional cable providers to add RFD-TV to its channel lineups. [17] [18] Imus left for Fox Business Network in 2009. [19]

RFD-HD, a high definition feed of RFD-TV that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format, first began broadcasting in high definition in the fall of 2007. [20]

In mid-2009, the channel gained carriage on Cox Cable. RFD began a rural news department in late 2009 with bureaus in London and Washington, DC. [12]

Rural Media contracted with Sony Pictures Television in September 2013 to handle RFD-TV's and other properties' national ad sale. [14] By August 2014, Rural Media Group began moving its Northstar Studio/RFD-TV staff and some of its Omaha, Nebraska staff into subleased office space at 49 Music Square West, Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The rest of the Omaha staff would follow in 2015 except Gottsch. [21]

In the 2016 presidential election, the Trump campaign purchased all possible advertising spots in the last two weeks before the election. By January 2017, the channel opened a bureau in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to cover Brazil's growing agriculture industry, which is heavily interconnected to the United States through companies like Brazil's JBS. [22]

A Canadian version of the channel was launched on February 1, 2020, on Shaw Direct television systems through a partnership with Rural Media. [23]

Programming

Imus in the Morning

When Don Imus returned to radio in late 2007, he had also struck a deal to simulcast Imus in the Morning on RFD-TV after moving to WABC for the rest of his career. The program was broadcast on the channel from 6 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time on weekdays, along with a primetime telecast of the program on its high definition simulcast channel RFD-HD. During much of the show's run, a news ticker was shown with the day's news, similar to that featuring when Imus in the Morning was simulcast on MSNBC. The video simulcast of the program ended its run on RFD-TV on August 28, 2009, and moved to Fox Business Network several weeks later. [24]

After Imus's retirement, RFD-TV owner Patrick Gottsch purchased Imus's 3,000-acre ranch. [3]

The Big Joe Polka Show

One of the 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 million+ available households until it ended its run on January 1, 2011. In 2010, litigation commenced between RFD-TV and The Big Joe Polka Show's creators/producers of Polka Cassettes of Nebraska, involving several lawsuits and countersuits (mostly over a contractual dispute). RFD-TV contends that it 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 multimillion-dollar "slander and defamation" suit was brought against Polka Cassettes of Nebraska by RFD-TV. [25] In 2011, the court granted the defendants' motion for summary judgment and dismissed RFD-TV's lawsuit as being without merit. [26] In January 2015, Joseph "Big Joe" Siedlik died. [27] [28] [29]

The show was replaced by The RFD-TV Polka Fest on January 5, 2011, and aired during the same timeslots. RFD-TV Polka Fest was later replaced by Mollie B Polka Party, hosted by Mollie Busta in July 2011. Wednesday afternoons, starting in September 2015 featured selected reruns of the Big Joe Polka Show under the name Big Joe Polka Classics.

Other programs added in Winter 2007-2008 included a revival of Crook & Chase (which returned to TNN [now Heartland] upon its relaunch in 2012) and Bluegrass & Backroads . [30]

"Machinery Pete"

Greg Peterson "Machinery Pete" half-hour show averages 125,000+ [31] viewers weekly on RFD-TV. "Machinery Pete" is the brand name to the business of Greg Peterson. [32] who is now an expert on data within researching and tracking [33] machinery auction prices since 1989. Expertise within the farmers and dealers to look at and estimate the value on used farm equipment and the real value at auction. [34] Greg Peterson was recently quoted in November 2021 in Bloomberg news regarding how much over the estimate a sale went. [35] Crain's Chicago Business also [36] referenced "Machinery Pete" on the booming records in Farm Machinery Auction Pricing in 2021 as did the Watertown Daily Times [37] and The Packer. [38] [39] "As harvest ends, we will see farmers at equipment auctions, not for the machinery - but for parts," Peterson said. "We're already hearing from guys talking about buying a second planter or sprayer, just for parts."Machinery Pete" Greg Peterson as quoted in Reuters in October 2021. As of November 2021, Machinery Pete has 47,100 subscribers on YouTube.

Greg Peterson is from Benson, Minnesota, and attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. starting "Machinery Pete" back in 1989 out of his basement in Rochester, Minnesota buying a small company for $2,600 [40] that had a subscription service for prices that followed auction prices. A traditional book mailed out four times a year to a customer base before the age of the Internet. Later on "Machinery Pete" used computers to compile Used Values Index reports. These reports painted a larger and complete picture of the value of farm and construction equipment.

"Machinery Pete" launched his website over 20 years ago [41] machinerypete.com, followed by a Facebook page for a global audience since for the last 25 plus years "Machinery Pete" has been covering farm equipment auctions for various industry magazines and trade journals.

In 2021, [42] "Machinery Pete" had over 40 Apple Podcasts. [43] [44]

Greg Peterson has been covering farm equipment auctions for various industry magazines for more than 25 years and did the same during six seasons of RFD's "Machinery Show." Now Peterson has his own show, which shares its title with his nickname: "Machinery Pete." Each episode features Peterson traveling to a farm machinery auction, where he meets some of the people who attend the sales where items like tractors and skid steers are sold. He also provides his analysis of current and historical trends in the used equipment market and answers viewers' questions about what their equipment is worth in the Ask Machinery Pete segment.

Peterson's show, Machinery Pete TV, is offered in syndication through Farm Journal (also syndicator of AgDay and U.S. Farm Report ) in addition to its RFD run; he also contributes to those shows as an interviewee.

Current programming

Sonny Perdue being interviewed on RFD-TV in 2017. 20171025-OSEC-PJK-267 TONED (37937429451).jpg
Sonny Perdue being interviewed on RFD-TV in 2017.

Former programming

The following programs were aired on RFD-TV at one point, but are no longer listed on the official website.

Rural Media Group

Rural Media Group
FounderPatrick Gottsch
Headquarters49 Music Square West, Music Row, ,
US
Subsidiaries
  • RFD-TV
  • RFD-TV Magazine
  • Rural Radio
  • The Cowboy Channel
  • The Cowgirl Channel
  • RMG Events LLC

Rural Media Group is a media holding company.

RFD-TV (Rural Free Delivery Television) was launched in 1988 by Patrick Gottsch but was not picked up until 2000. The group expanded with the RFD-TV: The Magazine in 2003 then RFD HD in 2008. [11]

Rural Media Group bought the Country Tonite/Ray Stevens Theater with 2000 seats in Branson, Missouri, and renamed it the RFD-TV Theatre on March 24, 2007. [47] [4]

A British version, Rural TV, was launched in 2008 [12] followed by a US launch on February 15, 2012, on Dish. Rural focused on news and international programming. [48] In October 2012, Rural Media purchased from Interactive Television and Gaming Networks (formerly Comstar Media) FamilyNet. The two channels would combine on January 1, 2013. [49]

Rural Media contracted with Sony Pictures Television in September 2013 to handle national ad sales for RFD-TV, Rural TV and Rural Radio. [14] By August 2014, Rural Media Group began moving its Northstar Studio staff and some of its Omaha, Nebraska staff into subleased office space at 49 Music Square West, Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The rest of the Omaha staff would follow in 2015 except Gottsch. At the same time, RMG Events LLC was formed and headed by RMG CEO Randy Bernard to run RMG events such as The American Rodeo. [21]

FamilyNet was changed over to a western lifestyle network on July 1, 2017, tapping RFD-TV programming to start. This was the original plan for FamilyNet, but seeming limited programming and interest, Gottsch held off. With RFD-TV drawing more viewers for its western programming and events like rodeos, the switch was made. Thus, The Cowboy Channel was launched. [50]

Rural Media Group in early 2018 purchased the Imus Ranch, near Santa Fe, as a television production base for its two TV channels' programs. Best of America by Horseback, Debbie Dunning’s Dude Ranch Round-Up, and Gentle Giants were programs selected to film there starting in March 2019. [51]

The Cowgirl Channel was launched on March 1, 2023. It specializes in programming about women in professional rodeo, western fashion, and rural lifestyles in general through the perspectives of women. Rodeos not televised on The Cowboy Channel are televised on The Cowgirl Channel. [52]

Patrick Gottsch, the founder and president of RFD-TV and Rural Media Group, died on May 18, 2024, at the age of 70. [53]

Related Research Articles

<i>Wild Kingdom</i> American documentary television series

Wild Kingdom, also known as Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, is an American documentary television program that features wildlife and nature. It was originally produced from 1963 until 1988, and was revived in 2002. The show's second incarnation aired until 2011 on Animal Planet in the United States. A third incarnation streamed webisodes on a dedicated YouTube channel from 2013 to 2018. Starting April 4, 2021, the program will be shown in its traditional Sunday timeslot on the cable channel RFD-TV. A fourth incarnation, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, hosted by Peter Gros & Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, premiered on NBC as part of the network's Saturday morning The More You Know educational and informational programming block in October 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMTV-TV</span> CBS affiliate in Omaha, Nebraska

KMTV-TV is a television station in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, affiliated with CBS. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, the station has studios on Mockingbird Drive in southwest Omaha, and its transmitter is located on a "tower farm" near North 72nd Street and Crown Point Avenue in north-central Omaha. It also doubles as a secondary CBS station in the Platte Purchase area alongside local affiliate KCJO-LD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOWT</span> NBC affiliate in Omaha, Nebraska

WOWT is a television station in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Gray Television. The station's studios are located at the Kiewit Plaza on Farnam Street near downtown Omaha, and its transmitter is located on a "tower farm" near North 72nd Street and Crown Point Avenue in north-central Omaha.

<i>Imus in the Morning</i> US radio program (1968-2018)

Imus in the Morning was a long-running radio show hosted by Don Imus. The show originated on June 2, 1968, on various stations in the Western United States and Cleveland, Ohio, before settling on WNBC radio in New York City in 1971. In October 1988, the show moved to WFAN when that station took over WNBC's dial position following an ownership change. It was later syndicated to 60 other stations across the country by Westwood One, a division of CBS Radio, airing weekdays from 5:30 to 10 am Eastern time. Beginning September 3, 1996, the 6 to 9 am portion was simulcast on the cable television network MSNBC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cowboy Channel</span> American cable television network

The Cowboy Channel is an American cable television network in over 42 million cable and satellite homes, which carries Western and rodeo sports. The network was founded in 1979 as the National Christian Network, and took the name FamilyNet in 1988 under the ownership of Jerry Falwell. It is operated under Rural Media Group, which also owns RFD-TV.

Nebraska Public Media, formerly Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET), is a state network of public radio and television stations in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is operated by the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission (NETC). The television stations are all members of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), while the radio stations are members of National Public Radio (NPR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOLN</span> CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska, US

KOLN is a television station licensed to Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, serving southeastern and central Nebraska as an affiliate of CBS. Owned by Gray Television, the station maintains studios on North 40th Street in Lincoln and transmitter facilities near Beaver Crossing, Nebraska.

The Imus Ranch was a working cattle ranch of nearly 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) located in Ribera, New Mexico, 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Santa Fe. Between 1998–2014, it was the site of a non-profit charitable program for seriously ill children, founded by long-time radio personality Don Imus and his wife, Deirdre. The charitable organization sought to ensure the continuity of the lives of children afflicted with cancer or serious blood diseases. The charity's goal was to provide children ages 10–17 with an experience of living life on a functioning cattle ranch free of charge, to build up the child's self-confidence and sense of accomplishment, in the company of similar children facing serious illness. In later years, it also opened to siblings of SIDS victims. It was incorporated in New York State and registered as a non-profit organization under subsection 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. It closed following the 2014 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Business</span> American business channel

Fox Business is an American conservative business news channel and website publication owned by the Fox News Media division of Fox Corporation. The channel broadcasts primarily from studios at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. Launched on October 15, 2007, the network features trading day coverage and a nightly lineup of opinion-based talk shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States cable news</span> News disseminated through cable television networks

Cable news channels are television networks devoted to television news broadcasts, with the name deriving from the proliferation of such networks during the 1980s with the advent of cable television.

Rural TV was a rural lifestyle and culture television channel, broadcast internationally. It was launched on March 2, 2009, replacing Pulse +45mins. It merged with FamilyNet in 2013.

Great American Faith & Living is an American cable television network. Owned by Great American Media, it primarily broadcasts westerns and lifestyle programming.

Small Town Big Deal is an American television news magazine that runs in first-run syndication with a focus on human interest stories in rural America. The TV program is co-hosted by Rodney K. Miller and Jann Carl. Together, they travel the United States sharing inspirational stories about communities, people, events and happenings. The show first aired on September 6, 2012 on the RFD-TV network. In 2017, the show was being viewed on over 150 local stations and 80 percent of the country each week across America, including several of the ABC Owned Television Stations, which air the program in weekend morning graveyard slots, as well as low-power and digital 24-hour networks Youtoo America, AMGTV, Total Living Network, CTN Lifestyle and Heartland. Small Town Big Deal has received the Parents Television Council Seal of Approval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney K. Miller</span> American television personality

Rodney Miller is the creator and co-host of Small Town Big Deal, an American nationally syndicated broadcast and cable television show. Miller and co-host Jann Carl, a former TV reporter and weekend anchor with Entertainment Tonight, travel the country sharing uplifting stories about American communities and people. Small Town Big Deal first aired on September 6, 2012, on the RFD-TV cable network. Since then, Small Town Big Deal has entered national broadcast syndication and appears on over 150 local stations each week. It also began broadcasting on the Armed Forces Network in the Fall of 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">News Channel Nebraska</span> Network of television and radio stations in Nebraska, United States

News Channel Nebraska (NCN) is an independent, in-state network of commercial radio and television stations in the U.S. state of Nebraska and Sioux City, Iowa. It is operated by Flood Communications, which was founded by attorney, businessman and Congressman Mike Flood. The television stations are all members of the NCN network.

<i>Little Britches Rodeo</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Little Britches Rodeo is a non-fiction television series produced by Hodge Media Group for RFD-TV. It portrays the real life events during National Little Britches Rodeo Association Finals. This western lifestyle documents the lives of rodeo contestants and rodeo competition from the Finals. In addition, it features interviews with PRCA World Champions, contestants, parents, rodeo personal, and some of the industry leaders in agriculture, horse industry, and rodeo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dustin Hodge</span> American television writer and producer

Dustin Hodge is an American television writer and producer. He is the founder of Hodge Productions, a Colorado media company. He is known for working on a variety of nonfiction content. His most notable works are as the showrunner for Little Britches Rodeo and a producer for The Tight Rope podcast. His work primarily focuses on under-served and under-represented communities and issues: the convergence of cultural and ethnic borders on indigenous peoples, the sustainability and resilience of impoverished areas, and the struggles of first-generation students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cowboy Channel Canada</span> Television channel

The Cowboy Channel Canada is a Canadian English language licence-exempted specialty channel broadcasting programming dedicated to western sports and the western lifestyle airing programs such as rodeo, bull riding, team roping, reining, barrel racing, and other western sports genres, along with western fashion, music, and movies. The channel is owned by Ryan Kohler through Wild TV Inc.

RFD-TV Canada is a Canadian English language licence-exempted Category B specialty channel broadcasting programming focused on the agribusiness, equine and the rural lifestyles, along with traditional country music and entertainment. The channel is owned by Ryan Kohler through Wild TV Inc.

Patrick Gottsch was an American media executive. He was the founder of Rural Media Group, which includes RFD-TV and The Cowboy Channel.

References

  1. "Stations for Network - RFD-TV". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. "RURAL RADIO". www.rfdtv.com. August 2013.
  3. 1 2 Morgan, Richard (April 13, 2018). "Don Imus finally sells New Mexico ranch". New York Post. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Wert, Jason (January 30, 2024). "Branson's RFD Theatre to be demolished". Branson Tri-Lakes News. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  5. "RFD-TV Rolls Out on HD on DIRECTV". www.rfdtv.com. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  6. RFD-TV Now Available to Cox Communications customers Retrieved March 21, 2010
  7. "RFD-TV website: Find RFD-TV". Archived from the original on October 20, 2010.
  8. "Rural Media Group launches RFD-TV Now". www.rfdtv.com. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  9. Sling TV Blog: Gather the family for outdoor entertainment, timeless movies and more with new Heartland Extra Retrieved April 5, 2017
  10. Crupi, Anthony (February 27, 2017). "Small Change: Why Niche Cable Nets Are on Their Last Legs | Media - AdAge". Advertising Age . Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Stevens, Siri (December 2, 2019). "Patrick Gottsch". The Rodeo News. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Blitstein, Ryan (November 1, 2009). "RFD-TV: How an Ex-Farmer Built a $25 Million Media Empire for Rural America". Fast Company. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  13. 1 2 Littleton, Cynthia (March 5, 2013). "Cablers Mine Gold With Sticks Mix". Variety. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 Steinberg, Brian (September 9, 2013). "Sony Pictures TV To Handle Ad Sales For Rural Media Group". Variety. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  15. 1 2 Haring, Bruce (May 23, 2024). "Patrick Gottsch Dies: Founder Of The Cowboy Channel And RFD-TV Was 70". Deadline. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  16. Farm Journal Inc., Order and Declaratory Ruling, FCC 06-172, adopted, November 28, 2006.
  17. Jacques Steinberg (October 14, 2007). "Rural Channel Will Carry Imus Show". The New York Times .
  18. Beverly Keel (November 5, 2007). "Source: RFD-TV hopes Imus opens urban markets". The Tennessean .
  19. Hinckley, David (September 3, 2009). "Shock jock Don Imus signs television deal with Fox Business Network". Daily News. New York.
  20. Moss, Linda (July 26, 2007). "RFD-TV Goes HD". Multichannel. Archived from the original on December 4, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  21. 1 2 Gibbons, Kent (August 20, 2014). "RFD-TV Leaving Omaha For Nashville". Multichannel. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  22. Littleton, Cynthia (January 19, 2017). "Network Aimed at Rural America Speaks for Population That Feels Underserved by the Media". Variety. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  23. "RFD-TV launches in Canada". Rodeo News. January 16, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  24. "Don Imus, RFD Part Ways - Move Pays Could Pave Way For Disc Jockey To Join Fox Business Network".
  25. Source: Public Record: The Fourth Judicial District Court of Nebraska Clerk of Courts, date of inquiry Monday, August 30, 2010, Douglas County, Nebraska
  26. "Court document" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  27. Blum, Julie (January 4, 2015). "Polka show host 'Big Joe' dies at 80". Columbus Telegram.
  28. writer, Julie Anderson / World-Herald staff (January 2, 2015). "'Big Joe Polka Show' host dies of cancer at age 80". Omaha.com.
  29. "Polka Legend". www.rfdtv.com.
  30. Beverly Keel (November 5, 2007). "Source: RFD-TV hopes Imus opens urban markets". The Tennessean .
  31. "Machinery Pete TV". www.rfdtv.com.
  32. "Greg Peterson". Successful Farming.
  33. "Machinery Pete: Record prices on Nebraska auction". June 16, 2010.
  34. "Wild Bidding Wars Erupt at Used-Tractor Auctions Across the U.S."
  35. "Wild Bidding Wars Erupt at Used-Tractor Auctions Across the U.S." Bloomberg.com. November 13, 2021.
  36. "Wild bidding wars erupt at used-tractor auctions across the U.S." November 14, 2021.
  37. DeauxBloomberg, Joe (November 14, 2021). "Wild bidding wars erupting at used-tractor auctions across the U.S." NNY360.
  38. "John Deere and UAW reach new 6-year deal, ending month-long strike". November 18, 2021.
  39. Huffstutter, P. j.; Weinraub, Mark (October 12, 2021). "'Desperate for tires.' Components shortage roils U.S. Harvest". Reuters.
  40. "30 years later, Machinery Pete still the most trusted name in farm equipment". October 3, 2019.
  41. "Used Farm Equipment for Sale | Machinery Pete". www.machinerypete.com.
  42. "Machinery Pete Podcast on Apple Podcasts". July 28, 2023.
  43. "Machinery Pete Podcast on Apple Podcasts". July 28, 2023.
  44. "Machinery Pete Podcast: Consolidation in Farm Auction Industry on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts.
  45. "Best of America by Horseback". www.rfdtv.com.
  46. "Corn Warriors". www.rfdtv.com.
  47. Rutherford, John (March 19, 2018). "Here's what happened this week in Ozarks history". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  48. "RFD TV spinoff Rural TV debuts". Ohio Ag Net. March 1, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  49. Gibbons, Kent (October 22, 2012). "Rural TV Parent Buys FamilyNet". Multichannel. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  50. "Rural Media Is Changing FamilyNet to The Cowboy Channel". Multichannel. June 22, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  51. "Rural Media Group to use New Mexico ranch as production base". AP News. November 24, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  52. "The Cowgirl Channel launches". The Cowboy Channel. March 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  53. "Rural Media Group president Patrick Gottsch passes away". The Cowboy Channel. May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.