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RFD-TV Expands Into Brazil
August 18, 2005
Sao Paulo, Brazil & Omaha, NE – Grupo Bandeirantes
de Communicacao and RFD Communications, Inc. announced today
a joint venture to produce and distribute television programming
featuring agricultural news, information, and rural features
to viewers throughout North and South America through each
entity’s 24-hour rural television networks, Terraviva
and RFD-TV.
Programming will begin in September, with RFD-TV airing
blocks of its most popular agricultural, bovine, and equine
shows to the 16+ million homes served by Terraviva’s
satellite & cable delivered channel in Brazil. Agricultural
news from Brazil will be featured on RFD-TV starting in November,
anchored by a half-hour This Week in Brazil, which will be
produced in English by Terraviva’s extensive news organization.
Both companies will produce original programming “specials” from
each country’s major farm, stock, equine shows, and
conventions to update farmers and ranchers on the latest
technology from each continent to air on both channels.
“This agreement establishes an important communication’s
bridge between the world’s two most productive agricultural
countries through the powerful, combined distribution of
Terraviva and RFD-TV”, stated Johnny Saad, President
of Grupo Bandeirantes de Communicacao. “The exchange
of information will be unprecedented.”
“For the first time, farmers and ranchers in Brazil
and the United States of America will be able to see, for
themselves, the agricultural news, important rural events,
and in-depth features from the other continent beamed into
their own living rooms, in prime time” added Patrick
Gottsch, President of RFD Communications, Inc. “We
are proud to be associated with Mr. Saad, and his well-established
news organization, as they clearly share our passion for
agriculture and focus on serving rural interests.”
The combined distribution of Terraviva and RFD-TV will immediately
reach over 44 million homes through satellite delivery alone,
with expanding cable distribution constantly adding more
viewers by both channels. As part of the agreement, RFD-TV
will establish a full-time news bureau in Sao Paulo, working
closely with the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service,
and U.S. companies with a presence in Brazil, to secure stories
of interest for the American audience.
About Grupo Bandeirantes de Communicacao – Founded
in 1948 by Joao Jorge Saad with one AM radio station, the
company has now grown to over 2,500 employees and 92% coverage
of Brazil with broadcast television networks (BAND, REDE
21), Cable (TV CIDADE), Cable Networks (BANDNEWS, BANDSPORTS,
TERRAVIVA), Radio Networks (RADIO BANDEIRANTES, BAND FM,
BANDNEWS FM, 89 FM, ALPHA FM, NATIVA FM), Newspaper (PRIMEIRAMAO),
Music label (BANDMUSIC), and Films (BAND FILMS), along with
other media interests. The company is headquartered in Sao
Paulo, Brazil. www.band.com.br
About RFD Communications, Inc. – Founded
in 2000, the company launched the first 24-hour television
network
for rural America (RFD-TV), and is now serving over 28 million
homes as a basic channel on DISH Network, DIRECTV, Mediacom
cable, and NCTC cable systems. In July/2003, RFD-TV The Magazine
began publishing a program magazine which is now mailed to
over 70,000 subscribers on a bi-monthly basis. The company
is based in Nashville, Tennessee. www.rfdtv.com
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