Imus coming soon to rural TV

Former New York City drive-time shock jock Don Imus, fired earlier this year for broadcasting his own disparaging remarks about the Rutgers University women's basketball team, will have a rural audience when he begins talking over the air again Dec. 3.

RFD-TV, with a potential national audience of 30 million homes, signed Imus last week to a five-year contract to broadcast his radio show to begin the same day on WABC-AM in New York City. RFD-TV's programming also includes shows featuring polkas, toy trains, country life and livestock auctions.

The 21,000 cable subscribers in the 18 small communities served by SEMO Communications will be able to tune into Imus' show on RFD-TV in the morning and for an evening high-definition rebroadcast.

Among the communities SEMO Communications serves are Advance, Bell City, Delta, Blodgett, Fruitland and Pocahontas. The Sikeston-based company also has subscribers in northern New Madrid County and southern Scott County. It does not serve Sikeston.

RFD-TV can be seen by more than 1 million cable subscribers and nearly 2.5 satellite subscribers in Missouri.

Raquel Gottsch, the company's director of public relations, said RFD-TV hopes urban cable companies will pick RFD up because of Imus. "That is our expectation," she said, adding that some companies already have expressed interest.

She said many viewers who have reacted to Imus' signing are thrilled. She has received 200 e-mails daily from those viewers, she said. She had no comment about the number of comments opposing his return.

Imus has a working cattle ranch in New Mexico. He will broadcast the show either from the ranch or New York City.

Imus could be paid close to the $10 million he was making from CBS Radio before his firing.

Tyrone Garrett, president of SEMO Communications, said RFD-TV is popular with his customers, but he admits being perplexed by the addition of Imus to its schedule. "I don't know if they are going to expand their base or alienate it," he said. "Time will tell."

How RFD-TV's programs would play to urban audiences is to be seen. How Imas' grumbling political ramblings will sound to rural America is unsure as well.

"I'm not exactly sure what they're thinking," Garrett said. "Maybe there's something there I'm not aware of. It has mainly agricultural shows for rural America. I don't know how Don Imus is going to appeal to them."

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137