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KTXH (channel 20), branded as My20 Vision, is a television station in Houston, Texas, United States, serving as the market's local outlet for the MyNetworkTV programming service. It is owned and operated by Fox Television Stations alongside Fox outlet KRIV (channel 26). The two stations share studios on Southwest Freeway (I-69/US 59) in Houston; KTXH's transmitter is located near Missouri City, Texas.

Key Information

KTXH began broadcasting in November 1982 as Houston's third independent station. A month after going on air, its broadcast tower collapsed in a construction accident that killed five people. The station recovered and emerged as Houston's sports independent, beginning long associations with the Houston Astros and Houston Rockets that continued uninterrupted through the late 1990s and sporadically until the early 2010s. Not long after starting up, KTXH was sold twice in rapid succession for large amounts. However, when the independent station trade, advertising market, and regional economy cooled, it was sold again for less than half of its previous value. The Paramount Stations Group acquired KTXH and other stations in two parts between 1989 and 1991, bringing much-needed stability.

KTXH was one of several Paramount-owned stations to be charter outlets for the United Paramount Network (UPN) in 1995; in 2001, after UPN was acquired by CBS, Fox took possession of the station in a trade and merged its operations with KRIV. When UPN merged into The CW in 2006, bypassing all of Fox's UPN and independent stations in the process, the station became part of Fox's MyNetworkTV service. In 2021, the station became one of two ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) transmitters for the Houston area; its subchannels are now transmitted by other local stations on its behalf.

History

[edit]

Construction, start-up, and tragedy

[edit]

Interest in channel 20 in Houston began to emerge in 1976, as three groups filed applications for new television stations in light of the emerging technology of subscription television (STV). These were Channel 20 Houston, Inc., a group led by Robert S. Block of Milwaukee;[2] Channel 20, Inc., headed by Sidney Shlenker;[3] and CPI Subscription TV, subsidiary of cable television company Communications Properties, Inc.[4][5] CPI withdrew, and a settlement application between the Block and Shlenker consortia—Channel 20, Inc.—was granted the construction permit by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on May 19, 1980.[6] It was the second joint settlement between Block and Shlenker for a Texas station; the Shlenker consortium, with Milt Grant as head of operations, had previously received the construction permit for KTXA in Fort Worth in March. That station began broadcasting in February 1981 as a hybrid operation, with commercial programming and ON TV, the STV service owned by Oak Industries. Oak was to own a majority stake in the local ON TV operation.[7] Channel 20's launch was delayed due to holdups in determining the local structure of the ON TV franchise and a dispute involving the mineral rights under the new Senior Road Tower, a 1,971-foot (601 m) mast in Fort Bend County that would be used to transmit KTXH and nine Houston FM radio stations.[8]

KTXH began broadcasting on November 7, 1982, branding on-air as "20-Vision" and broadcasting from studios at 8950 Kirby Drive in Houston. By that time, though, Oak had frozen its plans into eventual cancellation, with Grant telling Ann Hodges of the Houston Chronicle that their operation had shut down completely.[9] This was to the benefit of KTXH's ad-supported commercial offerings, giving it prime time hours to program (particularly with sports) and making reticent cable systems more willing to put the new station on their lineups.[9] On opening night, the station showed the film The Deer Hunter, and five nights later, the station aired its first Houston Rockets basketball game; Shlenker was a 10 percent stakeholder in the NBA team.[9] The 30 games the Rockets were slated to telecast in 1982–83 marked a record for the club.[10] Shortly before signing on, the Houston Sports Association, owner of the Houston Astros baseball club, became a new 38 percent stockholder in KTXH, bringing with them television rights to the Astros.[11]

In the first month on air, Houston's third independent station claimed eight percent of the viewing audience in the Houston metropolitan area, immediately moving into a tie for the lead, with its program lineup organized into thematic blocks.[12]

KTXH was the first tenant to use the Senior Road Tower. A month later, work began to install the antenna that the FM radio stations would use on the mast. The first part was put into place on December 6. Despite winds, work proceeded the next morning, December 7. A failure in a clamping device on the hoisting mechanism caused a 75-foot (23 m) section of antenna to fall off, severing a guy wire and leading to the tower's collapse. Five people, all tower workers employed by a New Jersey company, died. KTXH suffered a $1.5 million loss in equipment, including the transmitter, on which the falling mast collapsed.[13][14] A man in the transmitter building saw the tower collapse and fled.[15]

In the wake of the tower collapse, KTXH was out of service for a total of 61 days.[16] The station filed a $42 million lawsuit, alleging negligent construction and claiming a $7 million loss in equipment and advertising. It also immediately ordered a new transmitter[17][18] as the Senior Road Tower consortium moved ahead with reconstruction of the mast,[19] where KTXH would return upon its completion in October 1983.[17][18] Even while broadcasting from a temporary facility atop the Allied Bank Plaza, KTXH continued to post competitive numbers against KRIV.[20]

An ownership revolving door

[edit]

The pairing of KTXA and KTXH had proven to be successful and highly lucrative. Grant's aggressive programming and promotions strategy, plus a favorable climate for independent stations nationally, made the two stations highly profitable and attracted major bidders. Outlet Communications, the broadcasting division of The Outlet Company of Rhode Island, was one of several parties negotiating to buy KTXA and KTXH. However, negotiations fell through, and Grant instead sold the pair to the Gulf Broadcast Group for $158 million in May 1984.[21] The sale was held up for several months at the FCC, which conditioned the purchase on Gulf divesting FM stations in both cities.[22] The sale price was considered unprecedented given the short period of operation of the stations.[23]

Gulf had scarcely owned the stations when it sold its entire stations group for $755 million to Taft Broadcasting in 1985.[24] Taft doubled the size of the KTXH facility to include a second studio and more office space.[25] Over the course of late 1985 and late 1986, Taft was fending off overtures from activist investor Robert Bass, who was amassing shares in the company.[26][27] Meanwhile, in addition to a worsening regional economy, the independent television market nationally was softening; the two Texas stations were believed to be the weakest in the Taft chain,[28] even as KTXH boasted the highest audience share of any independent station in a top-35 market built since 1981.[29] On Rockets telecasts during this time, a young Hannah Storm hosted pregame and postgame shows.[30]

Taft put its broadcast group up for sale in August 1986 due to agitation by Bass. While it asked $500 million for five independent stations, the winning bidder—TVX Broadcast Group—only paid $240 million, and Taft estimated its after-tax loss for the sale at $45 to $50 million.[31] TVX implemented budget cuts, laying off about 15 percent of the staff at the acquisitions, and renegotiated programming costs; KTXH's production unit was completely disbanded.[32]

The Taft stations purchase left TVX highly leveraged and vulnerable. TVX's bankers, Salomon Brothers, provided the financing for the acquisition and in return held more than 60 percent of the company.[32] The company was to pay Salomon Brothers $200 million on January 1, 1988, and missed the first payment deadline, having been unable to lure investors to its junk bonds even before Black Monday.[33] While TVX recapitalized by the end of 1988,[34] Salomon Brothers reached an agreement in principle in January 1989 for Paramount Pictures to acquire options to purchase the investment firm's majority stake.[35] This deal was replaced in September with an outright purchase of 79 percent of TVX for $110 million.[36]

Paramount ownership and UPN affiliation

[edit]

In 1991, Paramount acquired the remainder of TVX.[37] The deal gave Paramount a strategic entrance into the television stations market; three years later, Paramount merged with Viacom, and the following year, KTXH became one of the charter outlets of the United Paramount Network (UPN).[38] In 1996, Viacom purchased a 50 percent ownership interest in UPN.[39]

KTXH's relationship with the Rockets continued until the 1997–1998 season, when KHTV (channel 39) outbid channel 20 for the rights to the team's road games.[40] The move was largely precipitated by what was believed to be a reluctance to commit to sports preemptions of UPN programming. KHTV, which became KHWB in 1999, cited its affiliation with The WB when it dropped the team after three years; after a disastrous start to the 2000–2001 season on new independent KTBU, plagued by low ratings and signal coverage issues in parts of the Houston metropolitan area, the Rockets moved their games back to KTXH, with some Houston Comets women's basketball telecasts appearing on the station.[41][42] At the same time, the Astros—which aired 64 games in the 1997 campaign on channel 20[43]—left for independent station KNWS-TV (channel 51), with KTXH's increasing obligations to UPN as a core factor.[44][45] In both cases, ratings fell after the teams moved their games off KTXH.[46][47]

Sale to Fox; conversion to MyNetworkTV

[edit]
A stucco and glass building with a sign outside bearing the KRIV and KTXH logos.
Studios for KRIV and KTXH on Southwest Freeway in Houston
A rounded rectangle divided into blue and gray parts with the word "my" in white and a black "20" in the lower right. Beneath, on two lines, is the text "KTXH-TV Houston".
KTXH's logo from June 2006 to September 24, 2018, when the station rebranded as "My20 Vision"

In 2000, Viacom purchased CBS. On August 12 of that year, United Television—the United in UPN—sold its UPN stations to the Fox Television Stations subsidiary of News Corporation for $5.5 billion;[48] the deal was finalized on July 31, 2001. As part of its acquisition of the United stations, Fox had purchased KBHK-TV in San Francisco, a city in which Fox did not own its affiliate—but there was a CBS owned-and-operated station. Similarly, Viacom now owned UPN stations in Houston (KTXH) and Washington, D.C. (WDCA), markets where it did not own the CBS affiliate but where there was a Fox owned-and-operated station. As a result, Fox traded KBHK-TV to Viacom in exchange for KTXH and WDCA, resulting in three new duopolies, including new Fox duopolies in Houston and Washington.[49] The FCC approved the deal in August 2001 on the condition that Viacom sell one of its San Francisco radio stations.[50] KTXH vacated the Kirby Drive facilities and consolidated with KRIV at its Southwest Freeway facility; the move led to some job losses.[51] The Rockets departed KTXH in 2002 for a new agreement with KNWS-TV and KHWB.[52]

On January 24, 2006, the Warner Bros. unit of Time Warner and CBS Corporation (which had been created as a result of the split of Viacom at the start of the year) announced that the two companies would shut down The WB and UPN and combine the networks' respective programming to create a new "fifth" network called The CW.[53][54] In unveiling the merged network, while WB and UPN affiliates owned by WB minority stakeholder Tribune Broadcasting (including KHWB in Houston) and by CBS Television Stations were announced as charter outlets, none of the Fox-owned UPN stations—many of which were competitors to these stations—were chosen. The next month, News Corporation then announced the creation of its own secondary network, MyNetworkTV, to serve its own outgoing UPN stations as well as those that had not been selected for The CW.[55][56]

Even past the MyNetworkTV switch, KTXH continued its association with local sports. In late 2007 and early 2008, the Rockets and Astros returned to KTXH with a reduced schedule of games, largely in a complementary role to Fox Sports Houston, the Fox-owned regional sports network (RSN).[57] The Astros aired all of their games on Fox Sports Houston in 2011, which was to be their last season on the RSN as the two teams prepared to launch Comcast SportsNet Houston (now Space City Home Network) in 2012.[58]

Technical information

[edit]

In 1999, KTXH began broadcasting a digital signal, which was not broadcast from the Senior Road tower but from a new, purpose-built mast in the same area[59] in Missouri City.[1] KTXH discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, over UHF channel 20, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television; the station's digital signal continued on UHF channel 19, using virtual channel 20.[60]

On December 7, 2021, KTXH became one of two ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) transmitters for the Houston area as part of a deployment involving 10 stations in the market.[61]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's ATSC 1.0 subchannels are carried on the multiplexed signals of other Houston TV stations:

Subchannels provided by KTXH (ATSC 1.0)[62]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming ATSC 1.0 host
20.1 720p 16:9 KTXH DT MyNetworkTV KRIV
20.2 480i Movies! Movies! KXLN-DT
20.3 TheGrio HSN KFTH-DT
20.4 BUZZR Buzzr KTRK-TV

ATSC 3.0 lighthouse service

[edit]
Subchannels of KTXH (ATSC 3.0)[63]
Channel Short name Programming
13.1 KTRK ABC (KTRK-TV)
20.1 KTXH MyNetworkTV DRM
26.1 KRIV Fox (KRIV) DRM
45.1 KXLN Univision (KXLN-DT)
67.1 KFTH UniMás (KFTH-DT)
  Subchannel broadcast with digital rights management

See also

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

KTXH

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from Grokipedia
KTXH, 20 (UHF digital channel 19), is a owned-and-operated television station licensed to , , . Owned by , LLC—a subsidiary of —the station serves the Houston television market and operates as a sister outlet to Fox owned-and-operated station KRIV (channel 26). KTXH and KRIV share studios on the Southwest Freeway in , with KTXH's transmitter site located near Missouri City in unincorporated northeastern Fort Bend County. The station first signed on the air on November 7, 1982, as Houston's third independent television station. Originally owned by a group led by local investors, KTXH adopted the branding "20 Vision" and focused on general entertainment programming, including movies, syndicated series, and sports. In 1984, along with sister station KTXA, it was sold to the Gulf Broadcasting Company for $158 million. After Paramount Stations Group acquired KTXH from TVX Broadcast Group in 1991, and following Viacom's purchase of Paramount in 1994, the station became a charter affiliate of the United Paramount Network (UPN) in 1995. In 2001, as part of a complex asset swap between and Viacom, KTXH was acquired by , where it remained a UPN affiliate until the network's shutdown in September 2006. The station then transitioned to —a syndication service launched by 's parent company, (now )—becoming an for the upstart network. Today, branded as My 20 , KTXH airs a mix of prime time programming, off-network sitcoms, , and local lifestyle shows, while also simulcasting some newscasts from KRIV. The station broadcasts in digital format with additional subchannels featuring networks such as on 20.2, QVC2 on 20.3, and on 20.4 (as of November 2025).

History

Launch and early operations

Construction of KTXH began in 1981 under the ownership of Grant Broadcasting System, led by , positioning it as Houston's third commercial independent following KRIV (channel 26) and KHTV (channel 39). The station was licensed by the to serve the market on UHF channel 20, with initial operations planned from studios at 8950 Kirby Drive in and a transmitter site in unincorporated northeastern Fort Bend County near Missouri City. KTXH officially signed on the air on , , branding as "20 Vision" and operating as a full-time with an initial visual power output of 5,000 kilowatts (5 million watts). The inaugural broadcast featured a mix of syndicated off-network sitcoms and dramas, including , , , , , and , alongside classic westerns airing Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and a six-movie marathon on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sports programming included away games of the and Houston Astros, while children's content and general entertainment rounded out the schedule to appeal to a broad family audience. In its debut ratings period (Arbitron November 1982), KTXH achieved an 8 share in the area and a 7 share in the broader designated market area from sign-on to sign-off, contributing to a 50% increase in the local independent stations' overall . Early operations emphasized affordable syndicated acquisitions and local appeal, with the station quickly establishing itself amid competition from established independents by focusing on prime-time family viewing blocks and weekend movie programming.

Tower collapse incident

On December 7, 1982, less than two months after KTXH's on-air launch, a 1,800-foot guyed broadcast tower under construction in , collapsed during the hoisting of its final 60-foot antenna section, killing five workers and halting the station's transmissions. The structure, owned by the Senior Road Tower Group—a consortium including KTXH's licensee, Channel 20, Inc., and several radio stations—was intended to serve as a shared FM and TV mast, with KTXH's UHF antenna scheduled to be installed first upon completion. The collapse was captured on video by KTXH engineer Andy Hurdack, who was filming the erection process from the ground; the later aided investigations by showing the sequence of events in detail. The failure originated from a faulty lifting clamp on the antenna section, which broke free under load, plummeting approximately 1,000 feet and severing two guy wires that supported the tower; this triggered a of the entire 1,800-foot structure in about 17 seconds, exacerbated by high winds and inadequate bolt ratings for the . The victims, all employed by Worldwide Tower Service Inc. of , were riggers strapped to the antenna at the time: Gene Crosby, 24, of ; David Stewart, 27; Donald Owens, 21, of ; Johnnie Wilson, 26, of ; and Johnnie Bratten, 26, of . Three other workers were injured but survived after jumping clear. The debris field spanned several acres, destroying KTXH's adjacent transmitter building and on-site studio, though a station employee inside the building escaped unharmed after witnessing the initial fall. The disaster left KTXH off the air for a total of 61 days, severely disrupting its nascent operations as Houston's newest independent station and straining early finances through lost and estimated in the millions. To maintain FCC minimum operating requirements, the station arranged a temporary low-power setup in February 1983, at reduced signal strength from a shared antenna atop the 700-foot in , originally used by KRIV (channel 26). Full-power service resumed on October 15, 1983, after construction of a replacement 1,971-foot tower at the same site, with KTXH's antenna reinstalled first to prioritize its recovery. In response, Channel 20, Inc. pursued multiple lawsuits against the tower's designer, Antenna Engineering Industries, and constructor, Worldwide Tower Service, alleging negligence in design, fabrication, and erection that led to the clamp failure and structural instability. All claims, including those for property damage and business interruption, were settled out of court prior to trial, providing financial relief that helped offset the incident's economic toll and supported the station's compliance with federal broadcasting mandates during the extended downtime. The event prompted industry-wide reviews of tower construction safety protocols, though no formal memorials or lasting cultural shifts at KTXH have been documented beyond internal acknowledgments of the tragedy's impact on early staff morale.

1980s ownership transitions

In the mid-1980s, KTXH underwent a series of rapid ownership changes driven by the industry's under the Reagan administration, which relaxed FCC rules on station and trafficking, spurring a wave of mergers and sales as investors sought to capitalize on rising station values in booming markets like . In May 1984, original owner Grant Broadcasting System sold KTXH and KTXA in Fort Worth to the Gulf Broadcasting Group amid this environment of financial , with the deal reflecting the high demand for independent stations in major markets. The transaction, approved by the FCC by the end of 1984, marked KTXH's first major handover just two years after its launch as an independent, highlighting the instability introduced by deregulation-fueled of assets. Gulf's ownership proved short-lived, as the company swiftly divested its holdings in early 1985 to capitalize on the market surge. acquired Gulf's entire portfolio, including KTXH, in a $755 million deal for five television stations and seven radio outlets, announced in February 1985 and completed later that year. For the stations alone—KTXH and — paid approximately $160 million, underscoring the premium placed on Houston's growing media landscape amid economic expansion in energy and sectors. Under , station emphasized operational enhancements, such as appointing Jayne Boyd as vice president of programming for KTXH and to bolster syndication efforts with popular off-network shows, aiming to stabilize revenue during the ownership flux. However, broader financial pressures, including from investors like the Bass family, soon prompted further divestitures. By late 1986, amid a cooling market and rising debt across the industry, Taft sold KTXH as part of a five-station package to for $240 million in cash, with the agreement announced in November and finalized in 1987. This sale, which included stations in Washington, , Fort Worth, and , represented a significant loss for Taft—estimated at $45–50 million after taxes— as the price fell well below the $500–550 million analysts had anticipated a year earlier, reflecting the bust phase of the cycle influenced by softening ad revenues and program cost . TVX financed the deal through $50 million in equity and $250 million in via , exacerbating its leverage just as the independent TV sector faced economic headwinds from the Texas oil downturn and increased competition. The acquisition strained TVX's finances, leading to staff reductions of about 15% at the stations and aggressive renegotiations of syndication contracts to cut costs, which temporarily disrupted KTXH's expansion of its programming library but preserved short-term operations in a volatile market.

Paramount ownership and UPN era

In 1989, Paramount Communications launched a of Inc., the owner of in , acquiring 79 percent of the company for $110 million and assuming approximately $30 million in debt. TVX's financial instability from earlier leveraged acquisitions had strained operations at its stations, including KTXH, but Paramount's involvement provided needed capital for programming and facilities. By 1991, following TVX's Chapter 11 filing and restructuring, Paramount secured full ownership of the remaining stake, rebranding the holdings as the Paramount Stations Group and stabilizing KTXH under centralized management. The 1994 merger between Viacom Inc. and Paramount Communications, valued at $9.5 billion, consolidated the companies' television operations, including those of the Paramount Stations Group, to streamline production and syndication resources for owned stations like KTXH. This integration allowed for greater synergy in content distribution, with Viacom's cable and syndication arms supporting broadcast properties amid growing competition from emerging networks. KTXH became a charter affiliate of the when the network launched on January 16, 1995, as part of a between Viacom's Group and ' United Television. The affiliation shifted KTXH from independent status to carrying UPN's primetime lineup, headlined by from its 1995 debut through 2001, which drew strong sci-fi audiences in the market. In 1999, UPN added with WWF SmackDown!, airing Thursdays and boosting the network's ratings among younger viewers through 2006. Complementing the network schedule, KTXH filled daytime and fringe hours with syndicated cartoons such as and talk shows like , maintaining its appeal as a general entertainment outlet. In December 2001, amid Viacom's divestitures, KTXH relocated its operations from Kirby Drive to a shared state-of-the-art studio facility on Southwest Freeway with Fox-owned KRIV, enhancing production capabilities for local content and programming. This move, completed under Paramount Stations Group oversight before the station's pending sale, centralized resources in Houston's media corridor and supported expanded syndication efforts.

Fox acquisition and MyNetworkTV shift

In 2001, Fox Television Stations acquired KTXH from Viacom in a station trade that also involved WDCA-TV in , and KBHK-TV in , allowing Fox to establish duopolies in and the nation's capital. The transaction, approved by the FCC in October 2001, integrated KTXH's operations with its new KRIV (channel 26), including shared studios and sales teams by early 2002, enhancing operational efficiencies in the market. Under Fox ownership, KTXH continued its affiliation with , maintaining a focus on network programming and local syndication during the early . The station's affiliation shifted dramatically in 2006 following the merger of and into , a between and that excluded Fox's UPN outlets. To fill the programming void for its affected stations, Fox launched in February 2006, and KTXH became a charter owned-and-operated affiliate of the new network on September 5, 2006, airing its primetime soap operas and reality series. In anticipation of the change, KTXH rebranded from "20 Vision" to "My20" in June 2006, aligning its on-air identity with the network's branding strategy. Throughout the , KTXH invested in technical enhancements, including a full transition to high-definition broadcasting by 2008, which improved the presentation of content and syndicated programming. The duopoly with KRIV allowed for shared resources in news production, with KTXH airing select newscasts produced by Fox 26 to complement its focus. As of 2025, KTXH remains stably under ownership with no major sales or divestitures, leveraging duopoly synergies for cost efficiencies and cross-promotional opportunities in the market.

Programming

Network affiliations and syndication

KTXH served as an independent station until early 1995, when it joined the newly formed United Paramount Network (UPN) as a charter affiliate, airing the network's primetime lineup of scripted series and movies alongside syndicated content. The station maintained its UPN affiliation through the network's dissolution in September 2006, following the merger of UPN and The WB into The CW, which bypassed Fox-owned outlets like KTXH. In response to the affiliation loss, KTXH transitioned to , a programming service established by , debuting the affiliation on September 5, 2006, with two hours of nightly primetime content from Monday through Friday. As of 2025, KTXH remains the for the market, broadcasting the service's lineup of off-network scripted series such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Chicago Fire, reality programs like episodes, and occasional movies to fill the 8:00–10:00 p.m. CT slot. The station's schedule features extensive syndicated programming outside of MyNetworkTV hours, including over 18 hours daily of acquired content such as daytime court shows like Judge Judy reruns, game shows, and off-network sitcoms to cover morning, afternoon, and late-night blocks. Following the 2023 Hollywood strikes, which disrupted new production, KTXH and other MyNetworkTV affiliates increased reliance on acquired off-network content, including legacy shows distributed through partnerships with via , such as additional court and talk programming staples. This approach has sustained the station's programming stability into 2025, emphasizing cost-effective reruns and acquired series over original productions.

Local content and news production

KTXH, as part of the duopoly with Fox-owned KRIV (channel 26), has relied on shared news operations since 2008, with KRIV producing local newscasts for broadcast on KTXH under the "FOX 26 News" banner. This arrangement utilizes a centralized at the duopoly's studios in , enabling efficient production of investigative reports, weather segments, and tailored to the Houston market. The flagship local newscast for KTXH is "FOX 26 News at 9," a weekday evening program anchored by key figures such as Anthony Antoine and Rashi Vats, focusing on in-depth coverage of regional issues like traffic, public safety, and community developments. In addition to news, KTXH airs original such as "Houston Live and Local," a daily afternoon show that delivers live updates on -area events, interviews with leaders, and spotlights on cultural happenings, hosted by members of the 26 team including reporters like Ruben Dominguez for segments. Public affairs content includes programs like "What's Your Point?" hosted by Greg Groogan, which examines local policy debates, and "Bayou City Buzz," offering spotlights on 's diverse neighborhoods and initiatives. These shows emphasize conceptual discussions over exhaustive data, using representative examples such as coverage of urban development projects or cultural festivals to engage viewers. The shared production facilities support through dedicated teams handling via the Gulf Coast Weather Authority and in-depth reports on topics like environmental concerns in the area. In 2025, the duopoly expanded digital integration, launching additional streaming content such as "HTX@10" and "Forecasting with Friends" on the FOX 26 app and FOX LOCAL platform, allowing seamless access to clips and live segments across devices for enhanced viewer reach. This includes 31 additional hours of weekly anchored updates, prioritizing mobile and over-the-top streaming to complement traditional broadcasts. KTXH's community impact is reflected in its compliance with (EEO) requirements, with annual reports detailing recruitment efforts to promote diversity in hiring, available through the FCC public files for both stations. The station covers local events extensively, such as school board meetings and cultural festivals, while incorporating bilingual elements through reporters like those handling Spanish-language segments to serve Houston's multicultural audience, including and Asian communities. These efforts underscore a commitment to inclusive programming that fosters without relying on national syndication.

Historical sports broadcasts

KTXH began airing select Houston Rockets NBA games in the 1980s, marking a significant expansion in local sports coverage for the independent station shortly after its 1982 launch. By the 1983-84 season, the station broadcast a portion of the Rockets' regular-season schedule, featuring local announcers such as Greg Lucas and Barry Warner in the initial seasons, followed by Gene Peterson and Bill Worrell from 1985 onward, who provided play-by-play and color commentary for up to 30 games annually during the early years. Concurrently, KTXH secured partial rights to Houston Astros MLB games starting in 1983, televising around 50 contests per season with announcers including Gene Elston and , which helped fill prime-time slots and build audience loyalty in the competitive market. The represented the peak era for KTXH's broadcasts, particularly with the Rockets, as the station aired games from 1993 to 1997 under its "Home of the Rockets" branding during the team's rise to prominence. Local production emphasized announcer teams like Bill Worrell and , who delivered detailed analysis during key matchups, including the Rockets' back-to-back NBA championships in and 1995. As a affiliate from 1995 onward, KTXH integrated these telecasts with the network's occasional sports programming blocks, enhancing visibility for Hakeem Olajuwon's squad and contributing to heightened local viewership during the title runs. Astros coverage continued through 1997 on KTXH, with the station occasionally simulcasting games to maximize reach before rights shifted elsewhere. Rockets broadcasts returned sporadically to KTXH in the early (2001-2003) and late (2008-2010), often in partnership with Southwest or Houston for overflow and select regular-season games, featuring updated announcing duos like Worrell alongside and . Astros rights briefly reverted to KTXH from 2008 to 2011, including high-definition telecasts of up to 123 games in 2009 through a collaboration with Houston. However, these eras marked the gradual phase-out of extensive over-the-air sports commitments; the Astros' primary rights moved to SportsNet Houston (later rebranded as ROOT Sports) starting in , while the Rockets followed suit to Southwest (formerly ROOT Sports Houston) around the same period, limiting KTXH's role to occasional overflow from KRIV. KTXH's historical sports output left a lasting legacy in Houston by providing accessible over-the-air access to championship-caliber play during the 1994-1995 Rockets titles, fostering and setting a for local stations in regional telecasting before the dominance of cable RSNs.

Technical information

Signal specifications and transition

KTXH operated its on UHF channel 20 with an () of 5,000 kilowatts from a tower height of 1,903 feet above ground level (AGL), providing coverage to the area until its shutdown on June 12, 2009, in compliance with the federally mandated . The station's digital signal utilizes PSIP virtual channel 20 while broadcasting on physical UHF channel 19, with an ERP of 1,000 kW (483 kW vertical) from a tower in , at approximately 1,881 feet AGL (1,959 feet above mean sea level). This configuration has been in place since the station's initial digital operations began in 1999, initially at lower power before achieving full-power status. KTXH commenced full-power digital broadcasting in October 1999, ahead of the national transition timeline, and participated in the FCC's Analog Nightlight program following the June 12, 2009, analog shutdown, providing limited analog service until July 12, 2009, to assist viewers in transitioning to digital reception. In conjunction with the full transition, the station adopted high-definition (HD) broadcasting in 2009, upgrading its primary digital channel to 720p HD format to enhance viewing quality across its coverage area. The signal covers the metropolitan area, reaching approximately 6.1 million potential viewers without the need for repeaters or translators, thanks to the high and elevated tower placement that ensures robust over-the-air reception throughout the region.

Subchannels and multicast

Due to its role as an lighthouse station, KTXH's ATSC 1.0 subchannels are carried on the multiplexed signals of partner stations, such as KRIV on physical channel 26, to maintain compatibility while its physical channel 19 is dedicated to NextGen TV. This setup allows for optimized bandwidth distribution across the host 6 MHz channel, with adjustments implemented post-2023 to enhance overall while supporting high-definition and standard-definition feeds as needed. Subchannels can employ resolution when bandwidth permits, though the primary channel prioritizes for its core programming. The station's subchannel lineup as of November 2025 consists of the following:
Virtual ChannelProgrammingResolutionDescription
20.1720p HDPrimary channel featuring syndicated series, movies, and network-supplied content from MyNetworkTV.
20.2Movies!480iDedicated to classic films spanning Hollywood's .
20.3QVC2480iHome shopping network offering and retail programming; occasionally includes other infomercials.
20.4480iDedicated to classic game shows from television history.

ATSC 3.0 deployment

KTXH serves as a lighthouse station for , also known as NextGen TV, in the market, facilitating the deployment of advanced broadcast signals for multiple local stations. On December 7, 2021, KTXH launched operations, becoming one of two host transmitters in the market alongside , enabling over-the-air delivery of NextGen TV content from 10 participating stations. As part of this role, KTXH's signal on physical channel 19 hosts programming from KTXH (MyNetworkTV), KRIV (), KTRK (ABC), KXLN (), and KFTH (), allowing these affiliates to offer enhanced features while maintaining compatibility with existing ATSC 1.0 receivers through simulcasting arrangements. The technical implementation utilizes the full 6 MHz bandwidth of physical channel 19 (500–506 MHz), supporting advanced capabilities such as 4K ultra-high-definition video with (HDR), immersive audio, interactive applications, and improved mobile reception for handheld devices. These features build on the station's prior digital transition to ATSC 1.0, providing a foundation for higher data rates up to 57 Mbps and integration with IP-based services. KTXH's deployment is coordinated through the Pearl TV consortium, a partnership of major broadcast groups including Fox Television Stations, which owns KTXH, aimed at accelerating NextGen TV adoption across U.S. markets. By November 2025, ATSC 3.0 coverage in Houston has expanded to encompass the majority of the market, aligning with national efforts to reach over 80% of U.S. households through lighthouse and full-market implementations. Key benefits include enhanced emergency alerting with geo-targeted warnings and personalized content delivery, such as customized program guides and on-demand features, all delivered over the air without subscription fees. However, widespread adoption remains limited as no federal mandate requires tuners in consumer devices, with viewers needing compatible 4K TVs or external tuners to access the full suite of enhancements.

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