Postcards From Nebraska Launched on RFD-TV...

Speakers at the RFD-TV Postcards From Nebraska event included (from left): Sid Dinsdale, president of Pinnacle Bank, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and Patrick Gottsch, founder and president of RFD-TV. (Photo: Matt Gersib/Snitily Carr)

RFD-TV Launches Postcards From Nebraska As Weekly Series

Omaha, Neb. — September 9, 2008 — Today, at a press conference at the network’s corporate headquarters in Elkhorn, Nebraska, RFD-TV executives announced that it is launching Postcards From Nebraska, the popular vignettes originally written and hosted by Roger Welsch, and aired on CBS Sunday Morning over an 11-year period, as a weekly, half-hour television series beginning this month.

Over 200 short stories on rural topics from Welsch’s unique perspective were produced by CBS Eye TOO Productions during Postcards From Nebraska’s first run, from 1988 through 1999. Each of the RFD-TV Postcards shows will contain at least four of these original, timeless stories about small-town life in Nebraska.

“It has always been one of RFD-TV’s goals to feature at least one show from every state or region of this great country into our ever-expanding program schedule,” stated Patrick Gottsch, president and founder of RFD-TV. “Our national audience will love Postcards, as the writing and subjects are timeless and can truly be identified with people, places and things from Anytown, U.S.A.”

Postcards From Nebraska on RFD-TV will premiere on Sunday nights beginning in September, and will immediately precede HEE HAW in the new RFD-TV prime-time program schedule.

Speaking at the event, Nebraska Governor, Dave Heineman said that the Postcards From Nebraska vignettes represent authentic Nebraska stories told by one of the state’s most renowned storytellers.

“Roger Welsch’s Postcards From Nebraska provided a look at many of the people and places that make Nebraska special,” Gov. Dave Heineman said. “I want to thank RFD-TV for bringing these classic stories to a new generation of viewers in our state and across the nation.”

Postcards From Nebraska got its start by chance, when Charles Kuralt, on one of his travels through the Midwest, was introduced to Roger Welsch after asking if there were any “characters” in the local news. Roger was running for Weed Commissioner for Lincoln, on an “anti-weed” platform. A friendship began and the rest, as they say, is history.

In addition to the vignettes in each show, RFD-TV will also feature different facts and areas of Nebraska to help promote education and tourism for the state, while showcasing Nebraska companies, organizations, and products as advertisers in the series.

Pinnacle Bank has signed on as one of the initial supporters of Postcards From Nebraska on RFD-TV, and will be running advertisements during each show.

“Pinnacle Bank sees this as a unique opportunity to sponsor a television show that projects such a positive image of Nebraska and its people.” stated Sid Dinsdale, chairman of Pinnacle Bank. “We are excited about reaching a national audience, while at the same time supporting Omaha-based RFD-TV’s efforts to expand its family-oriented programming.”