Therefore, Gottsch intends to invite every presidential candidate to live one-hour programs focusing solely on issues and policies important to rural America. The programs will be aired as Rural Town Hall beginning in July on Monday evenings (8 p.m. ET) and Thursday evenings (10 p.m. ET).
Hosted in Des Moines, Iowa, by long-time farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson, questions will be solicited from all agricultural sectors, producers and organizations, including corn and soybean groups, Farm Bureau, 4-H and FFA, pork, sheep and cattle organizations and others. Questions for the candidates can be sent prior to airing to ruraltownhall@rfdtv.com or patrick@rfdtv.com.
The themes for the programming are “The road to the White House goes through rural America” and “Rural America votes.” Gottsch says of 149 cable channels, RFD-TV rates second in voting record, with 64 percent of the viewing audience voting in national elections. Gottsch says, “You can’t win the White House without the support of rural America.”
Gottsch says of the program format, “We’re not republican; we’re not democrat; we’re not conservative; we’re not liberal. We’re here to represent rural America and the issues that face all of rural America, all towns, all crops, all people that live out there.” He adds, “I believe that, if given all the facts in a constructive format, RFD-TV’s audience is smart enough to make up their own minds.”
The format will be solely limited to rural and ag issues. Gottsch says the candidates won’t be asked questions that the urban-based media focuses on. Instead, candidates will be asked to state their policies on issues important to rural Americans, such as rural development, education, healthcare in rural America, water rights and country of origin labeling. Gottsch says he thinks it’s important that the “city cousins” know the issues facing rural America to reconnect those in the city with those in the country.
“Rural America’s impact on national elections is undeniable. This is a tremendous opportunity for each candidate to address issues largely ignored by urban media, yet are so important to many of the citizens voting in these primaries,” says Gottsch. FG
–Summarized by Progressive Forage Grower staff from an RFD-TV interview and news release
