Christopher Blank
News DirectorMemphis' cultural and historical influences — from Elvis to civil rights to soul music — have been Christopher Blank's favorite subjects since moving here from Florida in the early aughts to be the Commercial Appeal's arts and culture reporter.
As WKNO's News Director for more than a decade, he's been a frequent contributor of news and features to NPR. His numerous awards for both print and radio reporting include 2020 and 2021 Green Eyeshade Awards for Public Service Journalism.
He also serves as Senior Producer for the University of Memphis' Institute for Public Service Reporting. This collaboration with professional and student journalists has resulted in multiple award-winning radio features, most recently for various stories related to immigration and civil rights by the Public Media Journalists Association.
Recent extracurricular projects include co-producing the first full-length recording of the Orpheum Theatre's historic Wurlitzer organ, serving as a production assistant with Company d, which promotes Down syndrome awareness, and writing a popular blog of local theater and arts criticism called The Memphis Review.
Tune in Fridays for his regular Tennessee Politics conversations with political analyst Otis Sanford. Or check out our ongoing Civil Wrongs series for insightful stories about restorative justice.
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An online spat with a local attorney reveals Mayor Young's sensitivity on his handling of major issues. -
A federal class action lawsuit was filed this week on behalf of residents affected by noise generated by SpaceXAI’s power plant and data centers in South Memphis and Southaven. -
This week on WKNO/Channel 10’s “Behind the Headlines,” newly elected Shelby County Mayor Mickell Lowery joins host Eric Barnes and Daily Memphian reporter Bill Dries. -
A federal judge in Nashville has ruled that the Tennessee Highway Patrol can keep working with federal immigration authorities while a constitutional case moves forward.
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Newly elected Shelby County Clerk La Sonya Hall said Tuesday that her office is about halfway through a backlog of thousands of car titles and vehicle registrations left by former clerk Wanda Halbert. -
A lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union challenging the Memphis Safe Task Force’s use of Tennessee’s so-called Halo Law will be heard in federal court.
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As Memphis Mayor Paul Young looks ahead at next year’s reelection campaign, he is also facing growing criticism over his stance on Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI.
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As Memphis enters its season of fall festivals and outdoor events, some of the highest temperatures of the summer remain.
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A class action lawsuit filed on behalf of detainees at 201 Poplar alleges that people held at the county’s criminal justice center face “life-threatening and unconstitutional conditions.”
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Two Memphis City Council Members will be asking the Memphis Safe Task Force to leave the city by next month.
