KUHF 88.7 FM

KUHF provides a unique daily news product based on what our listeners want and expect. This applies to content and quality. Our daily assignments are stories that may actually affect or interest our listening audience. We also provide many stories that are not available through other local media outlets. Certainly not all stories can be exclusive to our station, but we can try to make our angle and use of sound exclusive. Our angle is "the people." Our sound is a remarkable tool, that when used effectively can strengthen even the most mundane daily story.

We do not own a police scanner. In the nation's fourth largest city, murder, crime, fatal accidents and residential fires are unfortunately all too frequent. They are also all too frequently covered by other local news outlets. We believe chasing such events would be a disservice to our audience. We have received a lot of positive feedback for steering clear of the "if it bleeds, it leads" news mentality.

Perhaps the most encouraging feedback comes from other journalists in town who tell us they depend on KUHF for news, including the "good news" stories that some other news outlets often ignore.

In establishing our local news presence, it is of course a constant priority to keep our work consistent with the national programming. We are fully aware that our audience expects quality coverage, including subject matter, writing and sound. We are aware that many of our listeners are unique as well. They often know as much or more about the background of a story we are covering, so it is a delicate balance to insure that we never talk up or down to our listeners, while providing thorough and accurate local news that is appealing to the ear.

Special local features and series' inserted into national programming are also an important supplement to our local news coverage, as long as we can continue to keep the transition from national to local natural.

KUHF's local news department is made up of one full-time news director, Debra Fraser, four full-time reporters, Jim Bell, Capella Tucker, and Paul Pendergraft. We also have three part-time reporteer, Marisa Ramirez, Leah Parker and Jim Guidry, who reports from Galveston.

Feedback is essential to maintaining a quality local news product. If you have any questions or comments, please email Debra Fraser at dfraser@uh.edu.