Operational alternatives for extending or improving public television service to rural America were studied through site surveys of 47 selected communities in Wyoming, Montana, and the Appalachia regions. The study also examined requirements and costs for and community interest in using small earth stations in conjunction with mini-transmitting cable systems and translators, and generated recommendations and strategies for implementation. Findings indicate that commercial television is widely available because of extensive cable and translator service. Public television, however, is unavailable in large areas of Montana and Wyoming and is often of poor quality. Though public television in Appalachia is more prevalent, the signal quality is poor in many isolated communities. Mixed interest was shown in regard to local origination; the communities' priority was receiving a high-quality, public television signal at modest cost. Although great interest in public television was revealed, a limited understanding of its nature and a general lack of awareness regarding programs was evident. This ten-section report includes appendices of state and regional highlights, related studies, project tasks and survey procedures, training materials, a sample follow-up letter, and sample site-survey reports. (LMM)