Yep. But even in the North regions it will have a pretty large audience. This is a good step IMO, as someone elsewhere has said - there's a massive catchment area that Rugby League would do well to exploit better than it currently does.

Get better crowds in the existing fixtures and that will make the marketing/money men sit up and take more notice.

I can totally see why the RFL are putting their eggs into the two broadcast areas rather than national, as has been said above, their are no teams outside of them barring London.
Whilst I think the RFL haven't helped the London cause in any way shape or form it would be a waste of money (at this moment in time) investing to broadcast to the London regions purely on the basis that getting possibles to travel 1-2 hours to a 'home' game when the team itself is in flux/about to move and hasn't performed for a good many years isn't a good starting point.
Similarly the North East regions, too far away from a SL club for it to make any impact, even more so in these depressed times.

However, if the RFL were to get clubs to play 'on the road' games in marketed areas it might at least raise interest not just for watching SL on the box but getting more local interest in the amateur game, having two local teams play a warm up beforehand.
For instance London play Hull or Leeds at a football club in the Herts/North London area, then get Hemel to play Scholars. Maybe have Saints/Wigan at the Ricoh with Coventry Bears v?
Both Challenge cup semis on the same day at a strategic football ground away from the heartlands would be an idea. I wouldn't mind seeing the CC final at somewhere like the Emirates but parking is shocking .

I think we certainly need more brand awareness, but small steps before taking big ones is the way to go.

York is a battleground for York when it comes to Leeds Rhinos!

Slightly wrong ITV HD Granada is only shown in Northern regions so it will be shown in Border and Tyne Tees

What a lame duck answer designed to appease the constantly self congratulating drones who populate these boards.

It was a good inquiry. I suspect the answer is cold hard cash but it's a point worth making.

Exactly, Midlands would be the first area I would have targeted. Also the Cardiff and Bristol regions for the advert as well, it would have been a feeder advert for the world cup matches being played down there. Maybe we should change the M5 signs to read the M62.