Cowboy culture is the set of behaviors, preferences, and appearances associated with (or resulting from the influence of) the attitudes, ethics, and history of the American cowboy . The term can describe the content or stylistic appearance of an artistic representation, often built on romanticized impressions of the wild west , or certain aspects of people's lifestyle , such as their choices in recreation (including enjoyment of Western movies and music ), apparel , and western or southwestern cuisine .
18-534: The Cowboy Channel (formerly FamilyNet ) is an American cable television network in over 42 million cable and satellite homes, which carries Western programming and rodeo sports. The network was founded in 1979 as the National Christian Network , later took the name FamilyNet in 1988 under the ownership of Jerry Falwell , and then in 2017 was rebranded as The Cowboy Channel. It is operated under Rural Media Group, which also owns RFD-TV . The channel
36-699: A Western sports network was seen as a unique opportunity to stand out in cable and satellite lineups. Among the network's first offerings were encore events from RFD's The American Rodeo , the Calgary Stampede , and the Professional Bull Riders archives. Sony's archived programming thus moved to their own GetTV at the start of 2018. The Cowboy Channel signed a multi-year agreement with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association to televise and stream their major events, including
54-436: A focus on Western sports and rodeo events, which had proven to be a popular attraction on RFD-TV. Gottsch thanked Sony Pictures Television for bringing the network to a solid footing, but noted that overwhelming competition in the classic television space from networks such as MeTV , Antenna TV , Cozi TV , Heroes & Icons and several other networks and streaming options had made the space more competitive and crowded, while
72-496: A history in Wales of cattle and sheep droving, that incorporated well into ranch work. In the late 19th century, folk tales about cowboys and attempts to commercialize on cowboy life by selling exaggerated ideas of it in novels and fashion became popular. Beginning in the 1860s, dime novels began sharing erroneous and highly romanticized tales of the West, feeding the public's interest in
90-414: A separate service, but with a refocus in programming towards classic television programming which was not picked up by competitors MeTV , Antenna TV and Cozi TV . Rural Media also decided not to renew over-the-air contracts with stations in a slow process in order to make it a cable-only network. A number of former FamilyNet affiliates (mainly religious stations) continue to carry programming recorded from
108-474: Is neither for a politician who has only been photographed in a cowboy hat for an event, nor a celebrity who wears cowboy boots. Many included in this list participated in multiple classifications and are solely placed under the classification they were most recognized. The Cowboy Channel Canada The Cowboy Channel Canada is a Canadian English language licence-exempted specialty channel broadcasting programming dedicated to western sports and
126-590: The Canadian Finals Rodeo through December 31, 2027. The Cowboy Channel Canada will also televise these events. Patrick Gottsch, the founder and president of Rural Media Group, died on May 18, 2024, at the age of 70. Much of the Cowboy Channel's non-sports programming is drawn from RFD-TV's program library, with an emphasis on ranching and rodeo programs (thus the Cowboy Channel does not carry RFD-TV's music, agribusiness or news programming). Like RFD-TV,
144-462: The National Finals Rodeo , starting in 2020. With the network conversion, Rural Media used the opportunity to end their carriage agreements with over-the-air broadcasters, rendering the Cowboy Channel as a pay-TV only offering. A Canadian version of the channel was launched on February 1, 2020, on Shaw Direct television systems through a partnership with Rural Media. The Cowgirl Channel
162-631: The Cowboy Channel carries brokered televangelism programming on Sunday mornings. Cowboy culture The origins of cowboy culture go back to the Spanish vaqueros who settled in New Mexico and later Texas bringing cattle. By the late 1800s, one in three cowboys were Mexican and brought to the lifestyle its iconic symbols of hats, bandanas, spurs, stirrups, lariat, and lasso. With westward movement brought many distinct ethnicities all with their own cultural traditions. Welsh Americans , as one example, had
180-529: The brand and majority of its content from its American counterpart, The Cowboy Channel . In 2023, Rural Media Group signed a multi-year agreement with the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association to televise and stream their major events, including the Canadian Finals Rodeo , on The Cowboy Channel Canada through December 31, 2027. This article about a television station in Canada
198-521: The channel showed sitcoms like The Bob Newhart Show , Newhart , and Mr. Belvedere . On October 24, 2012, Rural TV purchased FamilyNet, and the transaction took effect on January 1, 2013. At first the network was used to carry an all-trading day format of farm and market news, which eventually moved to a reduced timeslot on RFD-TV due to low interest and ratings. Rural Media, which had considered merging RFD-TV and FamilyNet together to gain over-the-air carriage, eventually decided to keep FamilyNet as
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#1732854727706216-908: The network's feed before the Rural TV sale, seemingly under a perpetual license. In September 2014, FamilyNet was refocused with classic television series and films from the Sony Pictures Television libraries, with Sony also assisting with advertising sales. Religious programming, which used to make up the vast majority of the schedule under SBC and Schuller's ownership, was limited to Sunday mornings, though Rural Media also maintained FamilyNet's paid programming overnights despite their executives' traditional disdain for depending on those programs for revenue. (RFD-TV since also began to carry overnight paid programming .) On June 19, 2017, Rural Media Group CEO Patrick Gottsch announced that on July 1, FamilyNet would be rebranded as The Cowboy Channel, featuring
234-502: The trade and life West of the Mississippi. Throughout the 20th century, radio, film and television had a profound effect on the fashion and mannerisms that built the foundation of what it meant to be living a western lifestyle, however most of this was more Hollywood glitz and glamour than historical narrative. In the 1980s, following the urbanization of much of the Texas population, there
252-408: The western lifestyle airing programs such as rodeo , bull riding , team roping , reining , barrel racing , and other western sports genres, along with western fashion, music, and movies. The channel is owned by Ryan Kohler through Wild TV Inc. The channel launched on February 1, 2020, on Shaw Direct television systems in high definition through a partnership with Rural Media Group , licensing
270-512: Was a marked revival of cowboy culture with the creation of a number of organizations devoted to its preservation, among them the American Cowboy Culture Association. The following is a list of notable people who lived or are living a western lifestyle post to its technological and societal change at the beginning of the 20th century. This list does not include those of whom lived during the 19th century who were living in what
288-603: Was acquired by InTouch Ministries in October 2007 from the Southern Baptist Convention . In December 2009, FamilyNet was acquired by Robert A. Schuller 's ComStar Media Fund. In 2010, FamilyNet was spun out into its own company, with Robert A. Schuller as the chairman. The organization also operated FamilyNet Radio 161, a full-time Christian talk channel on Sirius Satellite Radio , but was discontinued on November 30, 2010; FamilyTalk replaced it. From 2011 to 2012,
306-491: Was considered the Old West and preoccupied with the western norms of the day. To be included in this list, the person must be notable and either have a Misplaced Pages article showing they were or are influenced by the western lifestyle or must have references showing their claim. This is not a list for artists or entertainers who were playing a western role or create a subject of western art for which they are only credited. Likewise, it
324-424: Was launched on March 1, 2023. It specializes in programming about women in professional rodeo, western fashion, and rural lifestyles in general through the perspectives of women. Rodeos not televised on The Cowboy Channel are televised on The Cowgirl Channel. In 2023, The Cowboy Channel signed a multi-year agreement with the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association to televise and stream their major events, including
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