Ken Blake is co-founder and director of the MTSU Poll, a twice-a-year survey of Tennessee adults. The poll is sponsored by the Office of Communication Research at Middle Tennessee State University, where Blake is an associate professor in the School of Journalism. Blake teaches media writing, computer-assisted reporting, mass communication theory, and empirical research methods. His current research focuses on public opinion theory with an emphasis on links between media, religion and political behavior via the presumed media influence model. He also has authored studies pertaining to media credibility and to online instruction in media writing. A former newspaper reporter, Blake holds a doctorate in mass communication from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Married with two sons, Blake lives just outside the city limits of Murfreesboro, Tenn. When not professoring, Blake enjoys reading about history and theology. He also likes traveling, cooking, being a dad, and standing hip-deep in the Stones River flyfishing for "redeye" bass - or whatever else happens to be biting.