Shern-Min Chow, whose first language was not English, today both co-anchors KHOU 11 News @ Noon and reports for KHOU 11 News during the week.
She began her career in journalism as a stringer for Newsweek, has worked at KTRK-TV and anchored at KPRC-T V in Houston, as well as KENS-TV in San Antonio. Chow’s awards include the Houston Press Club Award for Best Series, the Texas Associated Press Award for Best Spot Newscast-Producer and an Emmy for the documentary “Hong Kong Under the Dragon.” The program was a career highlight in part because her father, Ken Chow, an engineer, joined the effort as a field producer and translator.
She and her brother grew up in northern California, the children of Chinese immigrants. Their mother was a stay-at-home mom who avoided an ‘empty nest’ syndrome by investing three dollars for a real estate course and ended up opening her own real estate company. Helen Chow is an “Influential Woman” in her own right.
When Chow began work in TV, she was the only Asian American broadcaster in San Antonio and later in Houston, then the 10th and fourth largest cities in the country. She is delighted at how times have changed.
Chow’s live reporting has included coverage from the eye of Hurricanes (Andrew), natural disasters (Katrina, Rita, Ike, Loma Prieta Earthquakes), Texas Wildfires (Grimes County) including one in 106-degree temperatures while eight months pregnant, the O.J. Simpson verdict, Rockets Championship games, Houston’s Super Bowl XXXVIII and the 2005 Astros World Series appearance. She has been inside Mexican prisons and the Texans locker room. Best of all, she’s had the privilege of working on stories that resulted in missing persons being found, suspects arrested, and donations and assistance for those in need.
Over the years, she has made literally hundreds of community appearances. She is currently on the boards of the Asia Society and Spring Spirit Baseball. She has previously served on the boards of the YWCA, The Houston Ballet, the Chinese Community Center and The Bayou City Medical Center.
A history graduate from Yale University, Shern-Min is conversant in Mandarin and Shang Hai dialects of Chinese. She has also studied German, French and Spanish. Chow routinely uses Spanish while reporting and helping her sons with Spanish homework. She is married to her college sweetheart and they have two terrific sons. She is grateful every day for her wonderful family and the opportunity to cover Houston.
Shern-Min Chow
Anchor & Reporter
KHOU TV / Gannett Broadcasting
1945 Allen Parkway
Houston TX 77019
713.284.1073
www.khou.com
