Bob Jensen
12-24-2001, 06:22 AM
A long, long time ago, I started watching fishing shows on television. There weren't very many on then: In fact, Virgil Ward's Championship Fishing is the only one that I can recall.
Eventually a few more shows entered the picture. I was in my early 20's and a real fish-head. In-Fisherman Television intrigued me. Then, one year when the fishing shows started airing, a new guy was on the air. His name was Tony Dean. Tony's shows were always greatly anticipated because he went fishing where I went fishing, in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Tony's style grew on me to the point where if I had to choose between which fishing show to watch, I chose Tony Dean Outdoors.
I can't remember how it all came about, but one day when I was attempting to create a career in the fishing industry, I found myself in the boat with Tony Dean making a television show for his series. We were on the Upper Cedar River in northern Iowa fishing for smallmouth bass. We caught bass and Tony fell out of the boat. "So much for a fishing career", I thought as I pulled Tony back into the boat. "First time I take a big-time t.v. guy fishing and he almost drowns", I muttered to myself. Tony had a sense of humor about it though, we got a show out of the deal, and I started pursuing the idea of doing my own fishing show.
Years passed, Tony Dean Outdoors became the highest rated outdoor show on network television, and Fishing the Midwest became a player in the t.v. fishing arena as well. In many markets, Fishing the Midwest was the highest rated program in it's time-slot.
With the fishing industry and television industry being what it is today, the need to attract viewers on a cost-effective basis is very challenging. In a phone conversation with Tony last fall, we were kicking some ideas around as to how we could attract more viewers to our shows. The idea of creating a Tony Dean Outdoors/Fishing the Midwest, one hour block of programming was discussed. Less than a day later, that idea became reality. In the first quarter of 2002, Tony Dean Outdoors and Fishing the Midwest will air back-to-back in several markets in the Midwest.
In Minneapolis-St. Paul, Fishing the Midwest and Tony Dean Outdoors will air on Sunday mornings beginning January 6th on KSTC television. KSTC is available to everyone with a television in and around the Twin Cities on Channel 45. The cable channels will be different, check your local listings to see what channel KSTC is. Fishing the Midwest is on KSTC at 11:00 a.m., Tony Dean follows.
In Fargo, look for Tony Dean and Fishing the Midwest on KVRR(Fox) on Sunday mornings. Starting January 6th, Fishing the Midwest will air at 10:00 a.m., Tony will follow. On February 3rd, Fishing the Midwest will switch to an 11:00 a.m. start time.
In Mason City, IA/Austin and Rochester, MN, Fishing the Midwest will start airing January 6th on KIMT-TV at 10:00 a.m., Tony will come on at 10:30 a.m.
Fishing the Midwest and Tony Dean Outdoors are award-winning television shows. They depict fishing as it actually happens. They tell a story, reveal productive fishing techniques, and reveal close-to-home fishing locations. Viewers won't get a bunch of high-tech, mumbo-jumbo hype, and there won't simply be a bunch of fish swinging in over the side of the boat. Viewers will see fishing as it actually happens.
I am honored to be teamed up with Tony Dean in delivering an hour of fishing programming to anglers throughout the Midwest. I sincerely believe that we will be providing our viewers with the best, most pertinent regional fishing information available nationwide.
Check t.v schedule on the fishingthemidwest.com website for a complete listing of Fishing the Midwest times and stations.
Best Fishes,
Eventually a few more shows entered the picture. I was in my early 20's and a real fish-head. In-Fisherman Television intrigued me. Then, one year when the fishing shows started airing, a new guy was on the air. His name was Tony Dean. Tony's shows were always greatly anticipated because he went fishing where I went fishing, in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Tony's style grew on me to the point where if I had to choose between which fishing show to watch, I chose Tony Dean Outdoors.
I can't remember how it all came about, but one day when I was attempting to create a career in the fishing industry, I found myself in the boat with Tony Dean making a television show for his series. We were on the Upper Cedar River in northern Iowa fishing for smallmouth bass. We caught bass and Tony fell out of the boat. "So much for a fishing career", I thought as I pulled Tony back into the boat. "First time I take a big-time t.v. guy fishing and he almost drowns", I muttered to myself. Tony had a sense of humor about it though, we got a show out of the deal, and I started pursuing the idea of doing my own fishing show.
Years passed, Tony Dean Outdoors became the highest rated outdoor show on network television, and Fishing the Midwest became a player in the t.v. fishing arena as well. In many markets, Fishing the Midwest was the highest rated program in it's time-slot.
With the fishing industry and television industry being what it is today, the need to attract viewers on a cost-effective basis is very challenging. In a phone conversation with Tony last fall, we were kicking some ideas around as to how we could attract more viewers to our shows. The idea of creating a Tony Dean Outdoors/Fishing the Midwest, one hour block of programming was discussed. Less than a day later, that idea became reality. In the first quarter of 2002, Tony Dean Outdoors and Fishing the Midwest will air back-to-back in several markets in the Midwest.
In Minneapolis-St. Paul, Fishing the Midwest and Tony Dean Outdoors will air on Sunday mornings beginning January 6th on KSTC television. KSTC is available to everyone with a television in and around the Twin Cities on Channel 45. The cable channels will be different, check your local listings to see what channel KSTC is. Fishing the Midwest is on KSTC at 11:00 a.m., Tony Dean follows.
In Fargo, look for Tony Dean and Fishing the Midwest on KVRR(Fox) on Sunday mornings. Starting January 6th, Fishing the Midwest will air at 10:00 a.m., Tony will follow. On February 3rd, Fishing the Midwest will switch to an 11:00 a.m. start time.
In Mason City, IA/Austin and Rochester, MN, Fishing the Midwest will start airing January 6th on KIMT-TV at 10:00 a.m., Tony will come on at 10:30 a.m.
Fishing the Midwest and Tony Dean Outdoors are award-winning television shows. They depict fishing as it actually happens. They tell a story, reveal productive fishing techniques, and reveal close-to-home fishing locations. Viewers won't get a bunch of high-tech, mumbo-jumbo hype, and there won't simply be a bunch of fish swinging in over the side of the boat. Viewers will see fishing as it actually happens.
I am honored to be teamed up with Tony Dean in delivering an hour of fishing programming to anglers throughout the Midwest. I sincerely believe that we will be providing our viewers with the best, most pertinent regional fishing information available nationwide.
Check t.v schedule on the fishingthemidwest.com website for a complete listing of Fishing the Midwest times and stations.
Best Fishes,