Charles Blake

Charles Blake worked at WIKY radio in Evansville for more than four decades, starting as an announcer/salesman and working his way up to General Manager and Vice President. While Blake served as General Manager, WIKY became the top-rated station in the Evansville area.

Blake grew up in Mount Vernon, IN and started his college career at Indiana University. After a few semesters, he was drafted in the United States Army during World War II. When he got out of the army, he continued his education at both IU and the University of Evansville.

He began his broadcasting career with Indiana University’s School of the Sky, a radio-education initiative produced by the university from the late 1940s until the 1960s. Next, he spent two years as a staff announcer for WSON in Henderson, KY. Then he moved south for five years to work at WTRL radio in Bradenton, FL as announcer and later, operations director.

Blake returned to Indiana in 1957 when he was hired by John Engelbrecht to work at WIKY in Evansville. He spent the rest of his career at the station. WIKY did early experimenting with FM radio and was often at the front of new technology. Blake said that Engelbrecht taught him the importance of community service for a local radio station.

His skills as a leader were on display during two crises the station faced. In 1981, when WIKY was destroyed by fire, he managed to make sure the station was broadcasting from temporary facilities the very next day. A few months later, a severe storm demolished the WIKY tower. Once again, Blake had the station back on air within hours.

Blake served as president of the Indiana Broadcasters Association and was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1993. In 1979, he was awarded the Silver Medal Award by the American Advertising Federation, Evansville chapter, for his contributions to the advertising industry and community.

Blake died in 2019 at the age of 92.

November 2024