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| Getting to Know the Bayou City |
— Port of Houston
As another example of region’s “can do” spirit, a few visionary Houstonians embarked on a plan to create a port out of a city more than 50 miles inland. Work began on the port in 1905, and with a combination of federal and local dollars, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged the lower reaches of the Buffalo Bayou to create the Houston Ship Channel. Now, more than a century later, the Port of Houston ranks first among U.S. ports in volume of foreign tonnage and imports, second in the United States in total tonnage and 10th in the world in total tonnage. The Houston Ship Channel is a 52-mile inland waterway that connects Houston with markets throughout the world. Last year, more than 7,850 vessels carrying nearly 229 million tons of cargo moved through the Houston Ship Channel.
— Port of Galveston
Located at the mouth of beautiful Galveston Bay, just 30 minutes from the open sea, Port of Galveston serves as the primary point of embarkation for cruises to the western Caribbean. The Port of Galveston is only 45 minutes from Downtown Houston and 30 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico by water, making it ideally accessible for business and Galveston Island enjoyment.
MEDIA
Houston represents the 10th largest media market, Houston Designated Market (DMA), in the U.S as defined by Nielsen Media. The DMA has a population of 22 million and includes 19 counties. Due to its size, area residents have access to an extremely diverse media market. There are more than 325 different media outlets catering to niche and general interest needs as well as Hispanic television stations and Houston’s largest daily newspaper, the Houston Chronicle.
— Newspapers
Houston has more than 100 daily and nondaily newspapers based in the city along with 22 university newspapers. Houston’s largest newspaper is the Houston Chronicle, making it the 12th largest in the United States. Galveston County’s The Daily News is the oldest newspaper in Texas and was first published in 1842. Many U.S. and global news outlets maintain bureau offices in Houston, particularly to cover the energy markets. Among them, include the Associated Press, Bloomberg Business News, Dallas Morning News, Dow Jones Newswire, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Petroleum Intelligence Weekly, Platts Gas Daily, Reuters News Service and the San Antonio Express News.
— Television
Houston embraced television early when KLEE-TV (now KPRC-TV) broadcast the first Houston commercial TV program 60 years ago. Shortly thereafter, KUHT-TV debuted as the nation’s first public broadcast TV station from its facility at the University of Houston. TV viewers have a wide range of broadcast options in the Houston area, including national network programming, home shopping, religious programming and three Spanish network channels.
— Radio
There are more than 60 radio stations on both AM and FM dials, offering all music genres, including gospel, classical, soul, pop, Christian, Tejano, rhythm and blues, country, hip hop, oldies, Top 40 and hard rock. News, sports and talk-radio options are also available.
LIBRARY
The Houston Public Library system serves the city’s culturally diverse community by offering a broad program of free educational, informational and recreational activities through a central complex and neighborhood branch libraries.
The library system comprises a Central Library Complex, including the Houston Metropolitan Research Center and Clayton Center for Genealogical Research, and 36 branch libraries providing a network of materials, services and programs to Houston’s diverse neighborhoods. For more information about the library and its rich history, visit www.houstonlibrary.org.
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
For many in the region, it’s all about sports. In this category, Houston excels and has a team for every major sport. After all, this is home to the Astrodome, ”the eighth wonder of the world!”
— Baseball
Minute Maid Park, is the Houston Astros’ downtown home. Minute Maid Park’s retractable-roof technology brought open-air baseball to Houston for the first time in 35 years, and the natural-grass surface and classic architecture provided Minute Maid Park the atmosphere of the great ballparks of baseball’s Golden age.
— Football
The Houston Texans have been Houston’s professional football team since 2002. Reliant Stadium was the NFL’s first indoor/outdoor retractable-roof, natural-grass stadium. With 200 suites and 71,500 seats, Reliant Stadium is considered one of the finest stadiums in the country.
— Basketball
The Houston Rockets team plays in downtown’s Toyota Center, a 750,000-square-foot arena that offers 18,300 seats for basketball, 17,800 for hockey and up to 19,000 for concerts.
As another example of region’s “can do” spirit, a few visionary Houstonians embarked on a plan to create a port out of a city more than 50 miles inland. Work began on the port in 1905, and with a combination of federal and local dollars, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged the lower reaches of the Buffalo Bayou to create the Houston Ship Channel. Now, more than a century later, the Port of Houston ranks first among U.S. ports in volume of foreign tonnage and imports, second in the United States in total tonnage and 10th in the world in total tonnage. The Houston Ship Channel is a 52-mile inland waterway that connects Houston with markets throughout the world. Last year, more than 7,850 vessels carrying nearly 229 million tons of cargo moved through the Houston Ship Channel.
— Port of Galveston
Located at the mouth of beautiful Galveston Bay, just 30 minutes from the open sea, Port of Galveston serves as the primary point of embarkation for cruises to the western Caribbean. The Port of Galveston is only 45 minutes from Downtown Houston and 30 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico by water, making it ideally accessible for business and Galveston Island enjoyment.
MEDIA
Houston represents the 10th largest media market, Houston Designated Market (DMA), in the U.S as defined by Nielsen Media. The DMA has a population of 22 million and includes 19 counties. Due to its size, area residents have access to an extremely diverse media market. There are more than 325 different media outlets catering to niche and general interest needs as well as Hispanic television stations and Houston’s largest daily newspaper, the Houston Chronicle.
— Newspapers
Houston has more than 100 daily and nondaily newspapers based in the city along with 22 university newspapers. Houston’s largest newspaper is the Houston Chronicle, making it the 12th largest in the United States. Galveston County’s The Daily News is the oldest newspaper in Texas and was first published in 1842. Many U.S. and global news outlets maintain bureau offices in Houston, particularly to cover the energy markets. Among them, include the Associated Press, Bloomberg Business News, Dallas Morning News, Dow Jones Newswire, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Petroleum Intelligence Weekly, Platts Gas Daily, Reuters News Service and the San Antonio Express News.
— Television
Houston embraced television early when KLEE-TV (now KPRC-TV) broadcast the first Houston commercial TV program 60 years ago. Shortly thereafter, KUHT-TV debuted as the nation’s first public broadcast TV station from its facility at the University of Houston. TV viewers have a wide range of broadcast options in the Houston area, including national network programming, home shopping, religious programming and three Spanish network channels.
— Radio
There are more than 60 radio stations on both AM and FM dials, offering all music genres, including gospel, classical, soul, pop, Christian, Tejano, rhythm and blues, country, hip hop, oldies, Top 40 and hard rock. News, sports and talk-radio options are also available.
LIBRARY
The Houston Public Library system serves the city’s culturally diverse community by offering a broad program of free educational, informational and recreational activities through a central complex and neighborhood branch libraries.
The library system comprises a Central Library Complex, including the Houston Metropolitan Research Center and Clayton Center for Genealogical Research, and 36 branch libraries providing a network of materials, services and programs to Houston’s diverse neighborhoods. For more information about the library and its rich history, visit www.houstonlibrary.org.
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
For many in the region, it’s all about sports. In this category, Houston excels and has a team for every major sport. After all, this is home to the Astrodome, ”the eighth wonder of the world!”
— Baseball
Minute Maid Park, is the Houston Astros’ downtown home. Minute Maid Park’s retractable-roof technology brought open-air baseball to Houston for the first time in 35 years, and the natural-grass surface and classic architecture provided Minute Maid Park the atmosphere of the great ballparks of baseball’s Golden age.
— Football
The Houston Texans have been Houston’s professional football team since 2002. Reliant Stadium was the NFL’s first indoor/outdoor retractable-roof, natural-grass stadium. With 200 suites and 71,500 seats, Reliant Stadium is considered one of the finest stadiums in the country.
— Basketball
The Houston Rockets team plays in downtown’s Toyota Center, a 750,000-square-foot arena that offers 18,300 seats for basketball, 17,800 for hockey and up to 19,000 for concerts.
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