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Houston TV Station Criticized for Interrupting End of Bills-Lions Game

NFL football on Thanksgiving or a severe weather alert? A number of Houston-area viewers wanted the former.

Wilton Jackson

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Every year, millions of fans across the country watch the NFL’s slate of games on Thanksgiving Day.

In between the first plate of turkey and dressing to the rich and delicious scents of iconic desserts floating through the house, nothing beats eating home-cooked meals while catching all the big moments from a football game. However, during the culmination of the Bills-Lions game on Thursday afternoon, some viewers in Texas were unable to enjoy the suspense.

Bills kicker Tyler Bass notched a 45-yard field goal in the final seconds to give Buffalo its second win in Detroit this week—as the Bills rebounded from back to back losses—and a half-game lead over the Dolphins atop the AFC East. But viewers who were watching the game on CBS affiliate KHOU in Houston missed the pivotal final 23 seconds of the contest.

KHOU meteorologist Tim Pandajis cut into the broadcast of the game to inform viewers about severe weather that included a tornado warning in the Houston area. The station did not incorporate a picture-in-picture treatment or split-screen format to allow viewers to continue watching the game while the weather report was issued. 

As a result, some viewers, many of whom had watched the entire game until that point, were upset. Meanwhile Pandajis saw complaints on social media and weighed in on issue.

“My apologies folks but I have a responsibility to get on the air and stay on the air through the duration of a tornado warning,” he tweeted.

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Wilton Jackson
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