KNUZ-TV signed on at 7pm on Thursday October 23, 1953. The opening program was a one hour introductory show followed by a live telecast of a Lamar High School vs. Milby High School football game which experienced many difficulties.
It was a short-lived debut. The station was off the air until the following Monday while engineers ‘remounted’ the antenna atop the KUHT antenna and worked on the technical problems experienced during the remote.
On Monday the schedule included:
4-4:45pm - Paul’s Place - this possibly refers to Paul Berlin, KNUZ-AM’s most popular personality. It was opposite Matinee on Channel 2, a long running program hosted by Houston’s ‘Mr. Television,’ Dick Gottlieb. Matinee had been cut back to just a half hour; Howdy Doody was on from 4:30-5pm on 2.
8:30pm-9pm - TV Auction - simulcast with KNUZ-AM.. Real merchandise was auctioned off, including kitchen appliances, tires, etc. Bidding was by postcard with the highest bidder winning but real money was not accepted; ‘TV Bucks’ had to be used, which were obtained in return for purchases at about 30 advertisers affiliated with the show.
KNUZ-TV ceased operations as of Friday, June 25, 1954.
It’s not clear that KNUZ-TV was an affiliate of DuMont; it may have only been airing selected shows not picked up by 2 or 11. According to a summary of the statement by Max Jacobs, President of KNUZ-TV, published in The Houston Post, a major reason for the shutdown was “the station’s inability to obtain a substantial amount of network programming and the national advertising which would have resulted.” The Post story went on to note that 70 UHF operating permits had been surrendered to the FCC and several UHF operations had shut down. Perhaps Dumont was holding out, hoping for an affiliation with 13.
Houston Consolidated Television, permittee of Channel 13, was able to get on the air more quickly because of the failure of 39. Negotiations had already started to use as much of the equipment of 39 as would be compatible with VHF. KNUZ-TV operated in a building owned by the University of Houston and leased to 39; 13 moved into that building and operated there until moving out to new studios on Bissonet in 1961. The building was then leased to NASA for computer operations for about a year, then Channel 8 took over those studios and operated there for 30 years..
I was told many years ago that 2, 11, and 13 all wanted to make sure 8 stayed on the air and that channel assignment did not fall into the hands of another commercial operator; they all donated equipment.
