I recently ran across an article in Forbes Magazine entitled, "The Ted Turner of Rural TV".
(See link for full article: http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/06/rfd-cable-gottsch-business-media-farm-tv.html). 

I thought to myself, "Seriously?  Rural TV?  How successful could it really be?".  Well, after reading the article... VERY.  Patrick Gottsch, founder of RFD-TV (a 24 hour cable television network for rural America) has launched an entertainment medium that had not been tapped in to before.  With 27 million television homes outside urban areas in the US Gottsch identified a whole separate untouched audience. Beginning in 2000 with Nashville television reruns he's has since expanded his network into carrying 92 different programs.  He categorizes the network's format in four categories: agriculture, horses, country music, and rural living.  Programs range from interviews with John Deere executives discussing the new line of tractors to tips on feed and grooming for your four legged friends. 

Why is this important,or at all pertinent to your local advertising or local media planning?  Well, as a media planner at Balihoo we continually reiterate to our clients the importance of ad placement in appropriate mediums and aperture (the point and time in which your consumer is the most receptive to your advertising message and most likely to take action).  This is just another example that there are plenty of alternative mediums available to local advertisers... they just need to be sought out and occasionally risks need to be taken.  The advertisers on RFD-TV (such as Purina "Goat Chow") are seeing great results and increased sales, which makes sense... they are hitting the right target audience in the right place and the right time.  It's the ultimate goal in marketing and what local advertising is all about!