Matt Rankin’s Knoxville story
By Brittany Norvell Priest
Fifteen years is a long time to spend in any newsroom, especially one as scrappy and personality-driven as BLANK’s.
For editor Matt Rankin, those years have been less about clocking time and more about building a living archive of Knoxville’s people, places and culture. His byline has wandered from music reviews to business profiles, from soccer exclusives to thoughtful edits of writers he once admired from afar. What ties it all together is a belief in the value of local journalism – and in the enduring magic of a newspaper you can actually hold in your hands.
Rankin’s path to BLANK is the kind of story you find only in Knoxville, the sort that begins not with a formal job interview but with a soccer match and a beer.
In the summer of 2010, he was watching a World Cup game with longtime BLANK photographer/contributor Bill Foster. At some point in the 90 minutes, he admitted he was curious about writing for local media but had no real idea how to get started. Foster introduced him to publisher Rusty Odom, who, Rankin laughs, “wasn’t particularly impressed at first” by his credentials. By that winter, Rankin was filing copy, just small pieces here and there: album reviews, show writeups, the occasional business profile. “It started out monthly, maybe every other month,” he remembers. “Somewhere along the way, it became 15 years.”
Fifteen years of labor, but also of love. “I still believe in journalism, even when it is not always appreciated,” Rankin says. “It matters to highlight the positive impacts people and organizations are making here. That has always felt worthwhile.”
The stories that stay with you
Rankin’s career at BLANK has been marked by variety, but certain stories rise above the noise. He recalls early pieces on local institutions, such as the launch of One Knoxville SC, a moment that captured Knoxville’s shifting sports and cultural scene. He talks about business profiles that turned out to be far more rewarding than he expected. And he reflects on deeply personal essays by contributors like Steve Wildsmith and Wayne Bledsoe, stories so moving they caught him off guard.
“To be in the position of editing writers I have admired for years is surreal,” he says. “I do not take that lightly. It has been one of the privileges of my time here.”
Knoxville through a BLANK lens
For all the words he has written, Rankin insists BLANK has shaped him as much as he has shaped the paper. The publication, with its resistance to politics and municipal bickering, has offered him a clearer and more optimistic view of Knoxville.
“We stay away from the muck of politics,” he explains. “That lets us focus on what people are building, what they are contributing, what actually makes Knoxville vibrant. You do not get bogged down in the negativity. You see a city full of possibility.”
That ethos has helped BLANK carve out a unique niche in the local media landscape. Where others may chase controversy or clicks, BLANK leans into celebration, into storytelling that insists Knoxville is more than its headlines.
Passing the torch
With more than a decade under his belt, Rankin has also become a mentor figure. Asked what advice he would give a new reporter, he did not hesitate. “Ask questions. We have no shortage of seasoned writers here, and everyone has been generous with their time. Do not be afraid to reach out, even beyond the paper. And most importantly, find your style. BLANK embraces personality in a way that other outlets might not.”
As for what comes next, he admits he does not think too far ahead. “We have been flying by the seat of our pants for 15 years, just making sure the next issue comes out. But I think what excites me most is welcoming younger writers. Fresh perspectives are vital. They keep us from becoming old and complacent. That is how BLANK stays alive.”
Why print still matters
It may be 2025, but Rankin remains a believer in print. “I post soccer commentary online, but nothing compares to holding a newspaper in your hand. Seeing the finished product never gets old. Everyone who stays with BLANK feels the same way. It is not just nostalgia. It is a physical reminder of the work of the community we serve.”
In a digital age, that tactile experience has become something sacred. Print becomes proof: proof that local stories are worth telling; proof that people still care enough to pick up paper and ink; and proof that what happens in Knoxville matters.
15 years and counting
Rankin does not sugarcoat the work. The frustrations are real, deadlines are relentless and the challenges of running a paper in a city the size of Knoxville are not small. But his voice softens when he sums it all up. “It has not always been easy. But it has always been worthwhile. I feel lucky to contribute to this city. Lucky to work alongside people I respect. Lucky to still be here.”
Fifteen years in, Matt Rankin is not done. He is still filing stories, still editing, still championing the voices of Knoxville. And as long as there is a press running and a stack of fresh copies waiting to be picked up, he will keep at it.
Because for him, and for BLANK, the work is not just journalism. It is community. It is history. And it is home.
