HOUSTON — How do you say thank you to the friend who took you in for 18 months after your home flooded?
When KHOU 11 was chased out of our Allen Parkway studios by Hurricane Harvey’s floodwaters, PBS/Channel 8 welcomed us with opening arms into their home on the University of Houston campus.
They gave us a huge empty studio to set up our news department and we were back on the air hours after we arrived.
There were no computers, no WiFi, not even pens and paper. We had a very primitive news set with a couple of chairs and a glass coffee table in those early days. It was a really, big deal when we added a monitor for radar.
Tegna, our corporate company, sent a bunch of talented people from our sister stations all over the country to help us through those first few weeks. They put their lives on hold and came to our Harvey-ravaged city eager to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
Then and now: KHOU at PBS
“There is absolutely no way we could have gotten through this without their help and support,” Executive News Director Sally Ramirez said.
It wasn’t long before our very talented engineering, IT and production teams had computers, studio cameras, monitors and everything else needed to cover one of the busiest news markets in the country.
“Something very special happened in this room,” Ramirez said.
We didn’t let the many challenges along the way stop us from bringing you the awarding-winning newscasts and digital coverage you’ve come to expect.
“We covered five of the biggest stories in Houston’s history out of this place,” Ramirez said. “This place will always be special. We made magic here.”
Ramirez said it’s been a rewarding journey that brought us even closer as a team because of everything we’ve been through together.
"I only participated in the tail end of this journey, but I can tell you as an outside observer: This team demonstrated a determination, a sense of purpose and a commitment to the work that is unparalleled," said KHOU 11 President and General Manager Bobby Springer.
And even though we stayed here a lot longer than any of us ever expected, our friends at PBS were always gracious hosts. They even said they’ll miss us, and the energy we brought to the building.
Photos: KHOU 11's new station at 5718 Westheimer
“PBS and KHOU made history together,” said Lisa Shumate, General Manager of Houston Public Media.
This weekend, we begin a journey in our beautiful new Galleria-area station.
It’s a herculean task moving news, production and engineering departments across town without missing a beat – or a newscast. Our engineering and IT teams have worked 24/7 for weeks to make it happen.
“They worked through Christmas. They haven’t had a day off since the beginning of the year,” said Magic Maker and Miracle Worker Doug Dougherty, who put off his retirement in Portland to help guide us as we moved into and now out of PBS.
We’d really like to thank all of YOU who stuck with us after Harvey. If you liked our coverage over the last 18 months, imagine what we can accomplish as we continue to Stand for Houston in our new home.
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