Indiana Broadcast History Archive

Mike Piggott had a long, storied career in radio and television broadcasting before retiring in 2021. He spent the majority of his life in Greater Lafayette, both as a student and director of community relations at Purdue University, as well as a news director and anchor dedicated to telling important stories of the people around him. One of Piggott's greatest traits was his belief in enhancing the "quality of life" in his city. He worked hard to foster growth in young journalists through his leadership at WASK and WLFI stations while thriving in connecting Purdue to the rest of West Lafayette. Piggott's passion for both his job and his environment made for a historic career in Indiana broadcasting. He has donated his broadcast archive to the IBHA.

Early Life

Broadcasting is in the Piggott family blood. Mike's father Joe (known as Joe Pickett on air), hosted a popular radio show on WFBM in Indianapolis and later became a morning news anchor on WIBC, leading his son to learn about the industry from a young age. Piggott has fond memories of watching his father do news reports at home on Christmas Day and contributing to traffic reports on the morning radio show. Despite his father being an admirable role model, Mike wanted to make a name for himself. His brother Jim Piggott, also chose broadcasting as a career.

Piggott stayed in Indianapolis through high school and continued to develop his passion for broadcasting through several experiences. While he briefly considered sportscasting or becoming a lawyer, broadcast journalism remained the best answer. He worked with his two best friends at Scecina Memorial High School for the student newspaper where he gained valuable experience and learned important lessons at a young age. 

College, Early Jobs and National Guard

Piggott spent his collegiate career at Purdue University earning a degree in broadcast journalism. His first taste of a broadcasting career came at WBAA, the public radio station at Purdue, where he had his own show picking music and reading public service announcements. He gained more experience reporting at the WAZY, WXLW and WASK radio stations, even briefly transferring to Purdue's Indianapolis campus to explore a larger market. 

His education and early career paused when he enlisted in the National Guard during the Vietnam era. He joined a unit focused on military journalism, working with other Guardsmen who were talented reporters and broadcasters from around the state. 

WASK Radio Broadcasting Career

After graduating college and working in Indianapolis, Piggott contacted an old boss about opportunities at WASK radio in Greater Lafayette. When Chuck Wise, the news director at the time, retired, Piggott got the news director role and was running the newsroom in his first job out of college. 

He received offers from larger markets — including a station in Fort Wayne that could have led to an eventual move to the Northeast — but he chose to stay in West Lafayette to build a stronger sense of community. He remained at WASK for 13 years in the city he loved most. 

Listen to WASK radio's team coverage of the tornado "Super Outbreak" in April 1974 that heavily damaged Monticello, Indiana.

Channel 18 WLFI Television Broadcasting Career

In 1984, Piggott received an offer to stay in Greater Lafayette but switch to television news as news director and anchor at WLFI-TV — and eventually became the station's General Manager.

Here are some examples of Piggott's work at WLFI, Channel 18.

Piggott formed relationships throughout the community, from the Chief of Police to everyday grocery store-goers who tipped him off to stories. Running a television newsroom in a small market meant hiring many young people in their first job. He decided to make WLFI the best station for young journalists to start their careers and build a strong foundation, thus attracting the best of the graduates, even for a short time. He surpassed his goal of seeing 50 of his initial hires working in the top 50 markets.

Purdue Community

After Piggott left broadcasting in 2001, he took a mission trip to Haiti that his career had previously prevented. Upon returning from this 'powerful time,' he immediately heard of an opening at Purdue University. Joe Bennett, the Vice President of University Relations and Piggott's close friend, insisted he take the job despite it having no defined duties, knowing Piggott would excel at community connections. 

His main initiatives involved diversity efforts and economic development in town. He led the Tippecanoe County Human Relations Commission through its first 15 years. He also chaired the Chamber of Commerce simultaneously. Piggott worked with the business and not-for-profit communities and helped Purdue employees and students make meaningful connections in Greater Lafayette.

Two of Piggott's involvements at Purdue tapped into his broadcasting experience. He served as Mackey Arena's PA announcer for multiple men's basketball seasons and as the public orator, reading the names of over 107,000 students across 143 different graduation ceremonies. Ironically, Piggott missed his own college graduation due to being in Army basic training, but made up for it by announcing two grandchildren as they walked across the stage. 

Community Engagement and Quality of Life

As public orator at Purdue, Piggott emphasized pronouncing every student's name correctly. Though tedious, this dedication reflected his career-long emphasis on forming genuine, lasting connections with the Greater Lafayette community. 

Piggott consistently demonstrated his commitment to 'enhancing the quality of life' for those in West Lafayette. From delivering local news to becoming integral in Purdue's community endeavors, he impacted everyone with whom he interacted. He and several coworkers called themselves 'PIT-DOGs': partners in the dogged pursuit of good, always striving to improve Greater Lafayette. 

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You can watch the entire oral history interview with Mike Piggott, conducted by Emma Pawlitz in 2024.

By Emma Pawlitz, edited by Lily Saylor

February 2026