Christopher Blank
News DirectorTrading his hometown newsroom of the St. Petersburg Times (alligators, beach bars and Florida Men) for the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Elvis, civil rights and barbecue) more than two decades ago, Christopher continues his quest for culturally rich human interest stories as News Director at WKNO.
He is a regular contributor to NPR and moderates conversations about Memphis' arts and culture community through the station's Culture Desk Facebook page. His numerous awards for both print and radio reporting include 2017 and 2020 Green Eyeshade Awards for Public Service Journalism.
He also serves as Senior Producer for the University of Memphis' Institute for Public Service Reporting. WKNO's collaboration with professional and student journalists has resulted in a number of award-winning radio features, including a special report “The Waiting Decade: Rape Victims Still Seek Justice”, which won First Place prizes in Investigative Reporting and Short Documentary from the Public Media Journalists Association in 2020.
Recent extracurricular projects include helping to produce the first full-length recording of the Orpheum Theatre's historic Wurlitzer organ.
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A special session of the Tennessee legislature starts tomorrow, an effort by Republicans to hastily re-draw the state’s congressional maps before the midterms. -
A recent Supreme Court decision could lead to "Jim Crow 2.0," says Otis Sanford. -
President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social on Thursday that Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will “work hard” to redraw the state’s congressional districts this year.
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This week on WKNO/Channel 10’s “Behind the Headlines,” Eric Barnes hosts a journalist roundtable with Memphis Flyer’s Toby Sells, MLK50’s Katherine Burgess, and Daily Memphian’s Bill Dries and Mary Cashiola. -
In the wake of Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling that weakens the 1965 Voting Rights Act, U.S Senator Marsha Blackburn is calling for a special session of the Tennessee legislature to redraw the state’s Congressional districts.
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The Memphis City Council has, for the time being, curbed public discussion about the Memphis Police Department’s handling of the No King’s Rally, in which marchers were pepper sprayed and arrested.
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The longtime owner of Owen Brennan’s restaurant in East Memphis, James “Jim” Baker Jr., has died.
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A possible lawsuit over the state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools could be funded by county government.
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Can a nine-member board of political appointees get better academic and financial outcomes than the elected school board? -
Tennessee lawmakers have voted to mandate local law enforcement agencies partner with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement as part of a push to aid the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.
