Houston Prepares For Rita

As HURRICANE RITA roars through the GULF OF MEXICO and towards the southern U.S., radio in the localities predicted to be affected by the storm are already scrambling to prepare. Currently, the storm is forecast to make landfall between GALVESTON, TX and the TEXAS-LOUISIANA border on SATURDAY (9/24) morning, most likely as a category 3 or 4 storm. Many of the early news reports have been focused on the HOUSTON evacuation, so ALL ACCESS has caught up with some of our radio friends in that town. Here's what we know so far:

-- CLEAR CHANNEL/HOUSTON Dir./Rock Programming VINCE RICHARDS reports in to ALL ACCESS that Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) and Classic Rock KKRW (93.7 THE ARROW) have begun to intersperse HURRICANE RITA coverage from sister News KTRH-A with regular programming.

RICHARDS says, “ We will go wall-to-wall coverage sometime tomorrow (9/23) through the storm and after as needed. We have a generator that will keep us on the air for an extented time and we have fuel for a number of days after that. Wish us luck. We are all going to bunker down at the station and fasten our seatbelts.” 

-- Meanwhile, across town at SUSQUEHANNA Top 40 KRBE/HOUSTON, the mood is improving a bit as APD/MD LESLIE WHITTLE explains to ALL ACCESS, "We're feeling hopeful, now that RITA appears to be moving more to the east, getting us outta the 'dirty' part of the storm. It seems to be decreasing in intensity right now, knock on wood. So we're gonna stay here and ride this one out. Anyway, it would be worse trying to get someplace right now ... you should see the roads out here ... traffic tie-ups everywhere."

Stay tuned for more updates a we receive them. If you're a station in an affected area and you're currently preparing for the storm, contact Net News Editor MIKE LADD at mladd@allaccess.com to let the rest of the industry know how you're holding up. We're all pulling for you and your communities, so best of luck.

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