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Batting1000HowardChenTalksSportsPEOPLEHowardChenComcastSportsNetHoustonisanewregionalsportsnetworkthatwaslaunchedthispastOctober.ThechannelprovidesexclusiveregionalcoverageoftheAstrosandRocketsextensivepre-andpost-gamecoverageteamandplayerprogrammingmajorcollegiateandhighschoolprogrammingaswellasthelatestnewsandanalysisoftheteamsandeventsthatmattermost24hoursaday7daysaweek.ItisapartnershipbetweentheAstrosRocketsandNBCSportsGroup.HowardChenhasrecentlyreturnedtoHoustontobethedigitalreporterforthisnewandexcitingavenueforHoustonssportsfans.byV.HOANGCanyouexplainwhatismeantbybeingadigitalreporterImareporterrstandforemost.IvealwaysbeenareporteronthetelevisionsideofthingsandnowIbringthattoComcastSportsNetHouston.ThedifferenceisthatnowIaddadigitalelementtoit.IdobothTVandonlineworkwhereIdomyusualworkforTVbutImalsocreatingonlinedigitalcontentwhetheritiswritingforCSNHouston.comorengagingwithmyfollowersonTwitter.TheindustryisgearingtowardsthatonlinedigitalsidesoitsextremelyimportanttotransferwhatIvedoneandamstilldoingfortelevisionovertotheweb.WhatisComcastSportsNetHoustonInshortitsa24-hoursportsnetworkchanneldedicatedtocoveringregionalsportslikeneverbefore.ComcastSportsNetHoustonisthenewhomeoftheRocketsandAstros.Outsideofcarryingthegamesthoughalltheshowsappealtolocalsportsfans.Itsnotnationalized.Itslocalized.Andthatsthebeautyofit.ThenetworkisavailabletoallcableprovidersandoperatesindependentlyofComcastCable.Wereoneof13regionalnetworksundertheNBCSportsumbrella.PresentlythechanneliscarriedbyComcastCableaswellasPhonoscopeCoastalLinkConsolidatedCableandEnTouch.FanswhohaveotherprovidersandwanttowatchtheRocketsandAstrosshouldcommunicatethattotheirprovidersbycalling1-800-4-CSNHOUSTONorbyvisitingiwantcsnhouston.com.WhatmotivatedyoutoenterthefeldosportsjournalismIvebeenasportsfanallmylifebutIcouldkindoftellthatIwasntcutoutforprofessionalsports.WhatsthenextbestthingGoingtothegamesforfreeAndevenbettergettingpaidforitAccordingtomyparentsIknewthisfromthetimeIwasaround10yearsold.IhadanepiphanywhiletalkingtomysisteraboutitandshetoldmeIshoulddowhatIlikedtodo.Ilikedsports.ThereforeIchosetogointosportsjournalismconsideringIwasntgoingtobeanNFLlinebackerorstrongsafety.AtrstIthoughtIwasgoingtogointosportstalkradioandIinternedforSportsRadio610inHoustonaftermyfreshmanyearofcollege.LaterIcametorealizethateventhoughthereareatonofAsian-Americansportsfanstherearentmanywhochoosetofollowtheirdreams.IguredthathavingmyfaceonTVwasmoreinuentialthanhearingmyvoiceontheradioorseeingmynameinanewspaperormagazine.ItwasatthattimethatIshiftedmyfocustomakingitinTV.IwantedtoshowotherAsian-AmericansthatitcouldbedoneandthatifIcoulddoittheycoulddoittoo.WhatledtoyourdecisiontoleaveToledowhereyouweretheSportsDirectoratWUPW-TVFOXandreturntoHoustonComcastSportsNetHoustonwasalwaysadreamjobofmine.ItargetedthisjobfromthetimeIheardaboutittwoyearsago.IdidwhateverIcouldtogettoknowtherightpeopleandamverythankfulthatthosepeopletookthetimetogettoknowme.FOXToledowentthroughalotoftransitionsafterbeingsoldthatresultedinmanylayoffsatthebeginningof2012.AlthoughIdidhaveanopportunitytostayinToledodoingsportsonTVIconsideredthebiggerpicture.MymaingoalwastojoinComcastSportsNetHoustonandtobeclosetofamilyfriendsandfantasticfood.SoIoptedtomovehomewithanuncertainfuture.ItcertainlyworkedoutbetterthanIevendreamed.TheproudexpressionsonmyparentsfacestheyreinSugarLandwhenIseethemareabsolutelypriceless.WhohavebeenthemostinterestingpeoplethatyouhaveinterviewedJeremyLin.Herepresents.Heshattersstereotypes.ThatseverythingthatItrytoembody.AsfaraspossessingapureintimidationfactorBobbyKnighttopsthelist.ItwasneatthersttimeIwasinamediagroupsurroundingTigerWoods.JackNicklausseemsliketheperfectgrandpa.Hockeylockerroomshavethemostinterestingsmellsforinterviews.ByinterestingImeanbad.WhatimpressiondidyougetwhenyouinterviewedJeremyLinMyimpressionisthathesanormaldown-to-earthhumanbeingwhoisextremelyhumble.Hesaguywhowantstostayhumbleanddoesntexactlyseekthelimelight.TheimpressionIgetisthatheskind-heartedandconsiderate.Hedoesallhismediainterviewswithoutcomplainingandisverycourteouswhenheanswersquestions.WhatisthetargetmarketortheJeremyLinreportsyoudoinChineseWiththeInternetbeingaworldwidephenomenonandLinsfanbasegoingglobalthetargetmarketgoesfarbeyondHouston.ThestuffonTVwhichIdoinEnglishisgearedfortheregionalmarket.MostofmyworkisinEnglishandcanbeseenonlinetoo.HoweverwehaveobservedthatasignicantportionofourwebaudiencecomesfromChinaandTaiwan.SinceIspeakMandarinChineseitonlymadesensetocatertothismarketonaweb-exclusivebasisconsideringthewebissuchapowerfulplatform.HowmanylanguagesdoyouspeakEnglishismyrstlanguage.MandarinChineseismydistinctsecondlanguagebutIcanspeakitwithsufcientuencytogetaroundTaiwanifIneedtoandhopefullywellenoughtohaveaMandarinChinesesegmentforCSNHouston.com.IcanalsospeaklimitedTaiwaneseandverylimitedSpanish.HowisyourliedierentnowromthetimeyoubecameasportsreporterIrepresentmycompanyonafull-timebasis.WhenyoureseenonTVyouhavetobealittlemoreawareofyouractions.Seriouslythougheverythingssopositiveaboutwhatthishasbroughtme.Itfeelsgoodtogettowhereyouvealwayswantedtobe.HadyoupursuedotherfeldsojournalismSomeexecutiveshavetoldmeIwouldhavemoveduptheladderfasterhadIshiftedtonewsfromsports.HoweverIknewthatIwouldnthaveenjoyedmyselfdoingnews.Sportsismypassion.Sportsismydream.Sportsismyreality.IcametorealizethateventhoughthereareatonoAsian-Americansportsanstherearentmanywhochoosetoollowtheirdreams.IfguredthathavingmyaceonTVwasmoreinuentialthanhearingmyvoiceontheradioorseeingmynameinanewspaperormagazine.HowardChenreportsregularlyduringHoustonRocketsgamebroadcastsandalsoonComcastSportsNetsvarietyofnewsshowsat6pm10pmandmidnight.HeisalsoperiodicallyaguestonComcastSportsNets5pmTVtalkshowSportsTalkLive.FormoreofhisreportingvisitCSNHouston.com.JanuaryFebruary20134YellowMagazine