88.7 Houston Public Radio, KUHF

www.kuhf.org

This is the website for the local public radio station in Houston, Texas.

Intended Audience:
- KUHF listeners

Usefulness of Content:
Like most websites for public radio stations that I have visited, this site includes all of the basics for listeners - a listing of programs, the schedule for both the regular station and the HD channel, local news and weather updates, podcasts and a donation page. KUHF also creates special arts programs and tours for listeners to experience. I really enjoy that KUHF includes a listing of local art or entertainment events in Houston. As a fairly new resident of the Houston area, I like learning about all that is available to me.

Consistency of Design:
I enjoy that this site subtly mirrors the NPR site in its basic layout and look. The blue and white are similar and the choice is pleasing to the eye. The KUHF site also shares the same basic layout of the NPR site, with a navigation bar at the left and on the top, which contain different pages and paths, and all of the content is placed in the middle of the page. Most of the interior pages retain the top navigation bar, with the left-hand navigation bar either gone entirely or containing different links for each page.


NPR's website

KUHF's website

One page I particularly like is the "Playlists" page from the Main page (the page itself is titled Program Schedule), which displays only the current day's programs in a clear and simple table which a user could print out easily if desired.

Ease of Navigation:
As noted above, some of the names of the links and pages differ. I prefer a site that puts the effort and thought into making sure that these terms match, as it makes for less confusion and easier navigation. I would also prefer a "Home" link in the top navigation bar - while it is easy enough to click on the logo, text links provide a nice back-up form of navigation. Otherwise, I think the site does a good job of denoting external links, by grouping them together under headings such as "Additional Information" or with icons for other websites which are provided as links, for example on the "Local Weather Page" (http://kuhf.impactweather.com/).

I think this is a professional and attractive website, and none of the problems I listed interfere with my ability to use and enjoy the website.