Blind man celebrates 50 years in radio

MILAN TWP. — There's no one more dialed into the local radio scene than Ken Wilde. For starters, he's a lifer in the industry, as Thursday, March 10 marks Wilde's 50th anniversary with his employer, WLKR, a community-based radio station serving Erie and Huron counties. Many people might know him as "Martin Davis," his on-air alter ego, who appears during overnight weekday broadcasts on WLKR's 95.3. He also provides fishing reports on sister station K96. "I'm not sure why I picked the name," Wilde said. "It just sounded good." Though he's primarily the company's chief engineer, Wilde supervises many behind-the-scenes tasks to ensure flawless broadcasts for him and his colleagues. In his younger days, he'd often climb radio towers several stories high to ensure a clearer signal for listeners. And it's all the more impressive when you realize one major detail. He's blind. "I was born premature," the Norwalk resident said. "There was too much oxygen in the incubator which destroyed my optic nerves." Though he doesn't hold a grudge over his misfortunate. "I always tell people: I don't know any difference (between seeing and not seeing)," Wilde said. "That's how I grew up. It wasn't like for some other people who had to transition to being blind. I would think that would be harder." Getting his start Wilde's passion for radio and technology began as a child. "I have always had this curiosity with tearing things apart and putting them back together," Wilde said. "At first, I couldn't do that. But then I got better and learned. I began tearing apart motors and then stereos and radios. Eventually, I could get them back together. I can't explain how I do it, but I just can." Wilde attended and graduated from The Ohio State School for the Blind in Columbus, where his passion for radio first bloomed. Established in 1837, it's the nation's first public school for the visually impaired. "I started a campus radio station at school when I was in the 10th grade, and I would go and visit all the radio stations in Columbus, talking with the engineers," Wilde said. "My main goal was getting a job in engineering." Shortly after returning to his hometown of Norwalk in 1972, one day, he wandered into WLKR, optimistically hoping for a job — and ended up, luckily, receiving one. Before the offices moved to Milan Road (U.S. 250) in Milan, Wilde walked to work, sometimes upward of 2 miles, whether at its prior locations on Benedict Avenue or Old State Road. Today he relies on public transportation so he can make his shifts. "I won't walk down (U.S.) 250," he said while laughing. During the past half-century, he's evolved into a true utility player. "Anything that relates to being on the air, I've been responsible for," Wilde said. "I make sure the audio equipment and computers work and make sure we are operating within the licensed parameters. I can perform some of my work on computers, through audio programs, that can hear my voice and it reacts to it." Wilde also installed three station transmitters — or massive pieces of towering equipment, keeping WLKR on the air — on Huber Road. He also performed the wiring aspects. "Yeah, now I'm afraid of falling off of them, so I don't go up them anymore," Wilde said. "But I still enjoy all of my work. I will be retiring soon, but I don't want to give up this work until I absolutely have to." Martin Davis Day For the past couple of weeks, Wilde's colleagues have been preparing for a celebration 50 years in the making. They're planning for a Martin Davis Day on March 10. "We'll be doing some special salutes on the air and also be bringing in lots of food," WLKR station manager Bill Forthofer said. "He's a true lover of food." When considering his disability, what Wilde can do truly amazes anyone coming into contact with him, Forthofer said. "He's overcome so many obstacles," Forthofer said. "I don't know how he does it." But that's not what makes him truly special. This is, as Forthofer explains: Through his five-decade-long tenure, he became and remained a dedicated, loyal, personable, entertaining and considerate employee — representing everything WLKR strives for when providing programming to listeners. "He's our uncle, best buddy and mascot all wrapped up in one," Forthofer said. "We wouldn't know what to do without Ken. He is a fixture of the radio station." When listeners meet Wilde in person, they're often surprised to learn of his blindness. "A lot of people don't know I can't see, and that's fine with me. For them, and me, it's about my voice," Wilde said. "If they hear me on the radio and enjoy what I'm doing and stay tuned, that is what makes me proud. That's the reason why I wanted to get into radio." And after people learn about his sight issues, he hopes to serve as an inspiration for others with disabilities, including those who have been told they can't do something because of them. "As long as you stay driven, you can do whatever you want," Wilde said. "You might need a little bit of luck. But you should always try and never give up on your dreams or passions."