Fast Facts
Name: Lana Harris
Market: #10
Current Station: WANF
Current Title: Anchor/Reporter
Preferred Title: Anchor/Reporter
Experience: 10 years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Lana Harris
February 19, 2025 by
Pairing Amazing News Talent with a Great Agent
February 17, 2025 by
If you’ve been an on-air personality on the TV news circuit for a little bit but haven’t quite made a name for yourself, you may need a better TV news talent agent.
Then again, it could be that you haven’t quite found your footing in the industry and are wondering where you could be stronger.
Whatever the case, success is most easily found when pairing amazing TV news talent with a great agent.
Do You Possess the Qualities of Amazing TV News Talent ?
If you’ve worked a job or two but don’t seem to be going anywhere, you may be missing something.
First and foremost, the key to landing more work and moving up in the industry starts with serious leadership skills. Especially if you’re jockeying for a prestigious position such as lead anchor. And always bring your authentic self. You can bet that the modern viewing public can easily spot if you’re being fake. And if you’re seen as insincere, you will not go far. Never underestimate the importance of highlighting your integrity and humanity. Any robot can report the news. Just ask AI.
In addition, if you want to advance as a broadcaster, you need to be able to get to the bottom of a story. And this requires solid investigative skills and the ability to know the right questions to ask to get the answers and relevant information. You should have excellent communication skills (which include navigating social media) and be able to handle pressure with aplomb.
Also, keep a strong focus on source development. Regardless of how long you’ve been in your current community, or in the industry as a whole, a committed broadcast journalist is always ready to give his or her contact information to community leaders such as city council members, the police, government officials, etc.
Finally, any broadcast journalist who claims that they eat, drink, sleep, and breathe news isn’t passionate so much as neurotic. And this will come across. So it’s important to have other aspects of your life that are equally important (if not more so). Maintain balance in your life to maintain balance in your career.
What Makes For an Exceptional TV News Talent Agent?
Just as there are factors that make for amazing talent, a great agent has specific qualities as well.
Being a TV news talent agent is multifaceted.
You definitely want an agent with experience in the newsroom so they understand the world you’re navigating. Ideally, an agent with direct experience as a major market news director, assistant news director, investigative producer, managing editor, and/or assignment editor is a great place to start. (Bonus points for someone who has ALL of these.)
Not only does this give your agent an edge as far as experience, but it also means that they will have connections that others won’t. And this is crucial.
Furthermore, when a TV news talent agent recognizes true potential, he or she should be willing to coach such individuals to help them find the best job for the most money. Having an agent who does this will likely get you at least 15-20% more than you would get on your own.
Also, you want an agent who regularly attends industry events and conferences; someone familiar with the top network, large broadcasters, and even local executives? An agent who’s making the extra effort to put themselves out there is going to be more in the know about what decision-makers want when they set out to hire talent.
Do You Need a Better TV News Talent Agent?
Maybe you’re already a superstar news personality. Or perhaps you’re relatively new to the industry but have what it takes to become a superstar.
Whatever the case, if you’re not where you want to be, it could be that you’re not taking advantage of pairing amazing TV news talent with a great agent.
Don’t hesitate to contact Mort Meisner. With a highly experienced agent on your side, you’ll have so many more advantages you just don’t have with a subpar agent or on your own. Your career awaits.
Nima Rajan
February 17, 2025 by
Fast Facts
Name: Nima Rajan
Market: N/A
Current Station: CityNews Vancouver
Current Title: Anchor/Reporter
Preferred Title: Anchor/Reporter
Experience: 10 Years
Agent Name: Steve Koles
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
TV News Talent Agent Stresses the Importance of Patience
February 7, 2025 by
They say that patience is a virtue.
Whoever ‘they’ are, they’re right. And nobody knows this better than Mort Meisner – one of the longest-established and most successful TV news talent agents in the business
In his 25 years of placing talent, he’s far too often seen young or new talent in their first, second, and even third jobs, impatient to shoot up the ladder to success. And for those with a TV news talent agent who didn’t have their backs, that success was often elusive. To say the least.
The Trap of Impatience
There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious and aiming to be the best.
But the news industry can be brutal. And for novice TV news reporters and meteorologists, it can be especially daunting. The inclination to grab whatever opportunity comes their way can be very tempting.
And this is understandable. They want to get ahead, make a name for themselves, and, of course, enjoy the financial benefits that come with a higher-paying job. As Meisner has seen, however, such impatience can result in career issues and even disaster. He calls this “short-term gain in long-term pain”
He’s witnessed many truly talented people blow up their careers because they simply weren’t ready for the job(s) they landed. As just one case in point, a young woman whose father was the president of a major network was repeatedly pushed into jobs that didn’t yet suit her. She simply wasn’t ready. And so she failed miserably, over and over again.
Discouraged and burnt out, she was washed out of the business. She would eventually resurface and with proper guidance, encouragement, and patience, would become the host of a nationally televised syndicated tabloid show. Yes, this was a happy ending. But she didn’t get there without having to go backward market-wise – and with a lot of suffering along the way.
The Importance of an Experienced TV New Talent Agent
Any agent worth his or her salt does more than simply place talent.
An experienced TV news talent agent provides stellar guidance to talent throughout the term of their existing contract while helping them to prepare for their next opportunity. It’s up to the agent to counsel the talent on what is appropriate for them in terms of their ability and experience and to inform them when the best opportunity opens for them.
At the end of the day, a solid agent helps burgeoning talent understand what they’ll be getting into with a new job and whether they have the chops yet handle it. In other words, they have to be unafraid to tell the talent what they need to hear versus what they want to hear. Even if that means advising talent to be patient and stay somewhere an extra year on an extension or even two years on a new contract if it’s going to benefit them in the long run.
Because that’s their job.
Does Your TV News Talent Agent Put Your Needs First?
If you feel that your TV news talent agent is more interested in making a buck on placing you than seeing you advance as a person, then it’s time to switch gears.
Contact Mort Meisner today to see how he can help you do more than just climb that ladder to success.
He’ll show you how to thrive.
Matt Fernandez
January 30, 2025 by
Fast Facts
Name: Matt Fernandez
Market: N/A
Current Station: N/A
Current Title: Reporter/MMJ
Preferred Title: Reporter/MMJ
Experience: 15+ years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
What Are the Perks of Being in Local Broadcast News?
January 24, 2025 by
If you’re an adventurous and curious person who still believes in the power of media, you may be considering working as a broadcast news anchor, reporter, broadcast meteorologist, or sports reporter.
It’s a good plan – given that there are still distinct perks of being in local broadcast news.
Possessing the ability to deliver an interesting story in a concise and compelling way is an obvious requirement, of course. And you need to have the personality and the flair to resonate with your audience. But if you have all of that in place, a career in local broadcast news could be for you.
Some of the Perks of Being in Broadcast News
Even though the industry is evolving and adapting to the presence of online news, it still attracts bright and driven people because of the many benefits it offers. Among them are the following:
Being Right in the Action
Working in a newsroom, your job is dictated by deadlines. And you want to deliver the best story (based on facts) within the parameters of those deadlines. This is exciting enough. But you may also be outside the newsroom, where the ACTUAL action occurs, to report on it.
Opportunity to Meet Interesting People
As a local news broadcaster, you’ll interview a wide range of diverse people who hail from a variety of backgrounds. This is an invigorating aspect of the job for those who are highly social. It’s energizing to be around and hear the stories of people from all walks of life.
Deep Connection to the Community
As a local journalist, it’s your job to know what’s happening in your community and the people who keep things running. This makes you more deeply connected with where you live and the people around you. You know the intricacies of your community in a way that most don’t.
- Continued Education on the Job
If you’re a curious person who loves to learn and explore, broadcast journalism is a job that pays you to do just this. You’ll continue to broaden your knowledge on all sorts of topics through investigating events occurring in your community. You’ll likely learn something new every day.
Recognition
Many people work in the confines of a cubicle or an office, performing their job day after day. This isn’t to say that what they’re doing is not important. But it’s often not recognized as such. As a broadcast journalist, the research, writing, and reporting you do from day to day is public and provides insights to an audience.
- Chance to Travel
In line with not wanting to sit in an office or at a desk all day, local broadcast news journalists have the chance to be out and about in the community. It may not be every day, and it varies from job to job, but chances are you’re not going to be sitting in the same spot 40 hours per week.
Ready to Explore a Possible Career in TV News?
If you find the perks of being in local broadcast news appealing, be sure to check out our blog on how to pursue these careers.
And if you’re already established in the business and are looking for a highly experienced TV news agent to take you to the next level, contact us today.
We’re all about the integrity in the news.
What Makes for a Great Demo Reel for TV News Talent?
January 10, 2025 by
If you’re a TV news reporter having trouble landing a job, it could be your demo reel.
Although it may not seem like it, a lot goes into coming up with a great demo reel for TV news talent. And your current demo reel may not be highlighting your talents in the best light.
One of your best resources is an experienced TV news talent agent who can guide you on best practices.
So Then What Makes for a Great Demo Reel for TV News Talent?
According to Mort Meisner, one of the most well-known and seasoned TV news talent agents in the country, there are various “tricks” reporters can use to make their reels memorable to the average hiring manager.
For example, Meisner recalls a reel he saw when he was a managing editor in Chicago many years ago. The talent was applying for an anchor/reporter job and she had a montage in her reel that showed her in a leotard doing somersaults, jumping jacks, and other high-energy movements.
No, she wasn’t showing off her body. She was showcasing her fitness level to demonstrate that she was fit for reporting on the “mean” streets of Chicago. She not only got the interview, but she got the job.
Years later as an agent, he worked with a news reporter who had a strong demo reel that highlighted her experience as a hard-hitting reporter. Yet, hiring managers were not biting. It wasn’t until she sent Meisner footage of her tackling a pig at a rodeo that he realized they needed to put that shot in her montage. Not surprisingly, that memorable component sparked enough interest to land her an interview. And she ultimately got the job.
Memorability matters.
Are There Rules for Making Demos?
According to Meisner, there are guidelines but not steadfast rules for making demos. He does have certain recommendations he offers news talent depending on their career goals.
If you’re an anchor reporter, your reel should be in the 13- to 15-minute range. While montages are usually ill-advised for actors, this is not the case for news talent demo reels. As such, Meisner advises a montage that’s about 50% stand ups in the field and 50% shots at the anchor desk. The talent should lead the demo after that with two blocks that showcase his or her area of reporting.
For a reporter, the average demo reel should be a little shorter at about 9-10 minutes. It should begin with a very active minute and a half to two minutes of montage with active, engaging stand ups demonstrating shots of walking and talking. This should be followed by three or four packages, preferably with live wraps. It’s critical the reporter be in the story. Hard news reporters should also include a super feature story.
Does Your Reel Truly Speak for You?
With an impressive roster of clients, it’s clear that Mort Meisner knows how to put together a great demo reel for TV news talent.
So if you feel that your demo reel isn’t getting you the attention you need to move forward on your career path, contact us today.
And let Mort help get you on track!
What Does It Take to Be a TV News Sports Reporter?
December 23, 2024 by
If you’re a sports buff but not exactly a star athlete, you may be considering what it takes to be a TV news sports reporter.
After all, sports broadcasters get all sorts of perks, including regularly attending live events and, if you make it big, some degree of fame and recognition.
There is work involved, however. And the road to becoming part of a TV news team can be just as demanding as being part of a sports team.
Understanding What It Means to Be a TV News Sports Reporter
Your primary goal may be to dazzle your audience with your ability to analyze how a team plays, grasping offensive and defensive lines, and reporting on a specific athlete’s wins, losses, injuries, gameplay, and strategy. You’ll also have a chance to educate viewers by interviewing players, coaches, and ancillary staff – as well as engage with sports fans and the audience themselves.
But being a TV news broadcaster goes beyond your on-air abilities. You’ll also need to know how to operate video and audio equipment, write articles about sports news and individual games, edit your report for conciseness and accuracy, share your analysis of a game, team, or sports industry, and possibly host radio shows or podcasts with guests.
What You Can Do to Prepare
Once you determine you want to be a sports reporter, one of the best things you can do is start studying seasoned sports broadcasters whom you admire. And watch or listen to those you don’t too. You can also study great sportscasters from the past. It’s all good information that will help inform how you might conduct interviews, recap a game, or give play-by-play calls down the road.
Also, it’s crucial to get some experience under your belt. Perhaps you offer to write sports for your local newspaper or website. You could play in a local league. And never underestimate the power of coaching Little League sports.
Meanwhile, if you’re still in high school, you could write sports articles for the school newspaper or sign up to be an announcer for your high school’s morning show. You could also volunteer to set up lights at games or work on the production team behind the scenes. Any kind of experience in sports, communication, and broadcasting is going to make you more desirable to a future employee or potential college.
Speaking of which…
Educational Requirements to Be a TV News Sports Reporter
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree from a reputable school to work as a sports broadcaster. There are a number of degrees you can choose from though. A degree in sports communication or broadcast journalism is a good place to begin your exploration. You may not need to be so specific though. Depending on your goals, you may find a more generalized degree in broadcasting or communication could do the trick.
Whatever program you choose, it’s important that it covers writing for media, as well as production processes for television, radio, and spoken communication. Some colleges or universities offer electives such as sports entertainment or history of athletics (as just two examples) that will broaden your sports broadcasting repertoire.
Embrace the Internship
While you’re still in school, you may be given the opportunity to work as an intern at a station. Do so. An internship will help you gain real-world experience in the industry. Furthermore, you’ll be able to connect with professionals who can answer questions and inspire you on your path.
In fact, many employers in the industry will require you to complete an internship before they’ll even consider hiring you.
You’ve Got This!
If you feel you have what it takes to be a TV news sports reporter, then get out there and make it happen!
And know that once you’ve landed your first job and gained valuable experience, you’ll benefit from a seasoned TV news talent agent such as Mort Meisner.
With many decades in the industry and an impressive roster, he has the connections that will help you to truly make a name for yourself as you move forward.
Are You Curious About Becoming a Broadcast Meteorologist?
December 9, 2024 by
If you have thoughts about becoming a broadcast meteorologist, chances are you enjoy science but also have a desire to entertain. Because this is an unusual combination, it makes you uniquely qualified to become a broadcast meteorologist.
Working as a broadcast meteorologist requires you to balance the know-how to provide essential and sometimes unpleasant information about the weather with the ability to entertain.
So if that’s appealing to you, the next question is, now what?
Steps to Becoming a Broadcast Meteorologist
Becoming a broadcast meteorologist is different from becoming a news anchor or reporter.
As a meteorologist on the news, you’ll be responsible for more than just reporting the weather. You’ll need to provide viewers with tips to prepare for severe weather, stay abreast of any updates to conditions, and keep up with the latest scientific research and technology in your industry.
Once you commit to taking this career path, there are essential steps you’ll need to complete to ensure your success. They are as follows:
Obtain Your Bachelor’s Degree
It’s certainly not enough to be interested in the weather. Every meteorologist has a bachelor’s degree in meteorology or atmospheric science. This is usually a four-year program at a qualified college or university. But it will give you the foundations in meteorology, math, and physics you’ll need to cover the scientific side of the job.
You may want to look for universities that offer specialized programs in broadcast meteorology that combine the scientific side with journalism or communication courses to strengthen the entertainment component.
Get Experience While Still in School
While you’re completing your degree, take advantage of internships or entry-level positions available to you. These will provide you with real-world experience and knowledge while developing your communication skills. You’ll also be able to start making contacts with others in the industry.
Some media outlets offer internships or jobs for aspiring broadcast meteorologists. Private weather consulting firms as well as government agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are also valuable sources for these.
Consider a Broadcast Meteorology Certification Program
No, you’re not required to obtain a broadcast meteorology certification. But if you do, it’s going to look good. Such certification will boost your credentials and increase your job prospects. You can get this certification through The American Meteorological Society (AMS) and you’ll need to pass an exam and meet certain education/experience criteria.
Build an Impressive Portfolio
Once you have some time under your belt in your internship/entry-level position, you’ll be able to start building a demo real that highlights your weather forecasting and reporting abilities, as well as showcases your on-camera skills. You don’t want to skip this step, as it will be a critical part of your job search.
Get out There and Network
You know the adage – it’s not what you know but who you know. It’s both though. So once you have some broadcast meteorology experience, it’s important you begin making vital connections with industry professionals.
Perhaps start by joining a professional organization such as the National Weather Association (NWA) or the AMS. Also – and this one is fairly easy – connect with industry professionals on social media platforms such as LinkedIn.
Apply for Work
Once you’ve completed all of the above, it’s time to get down to business and start applying for jobs. A good place to start is with local television stations. They will often hire broadcast meteorologists on a part-time or full-time basis. If that doesn’t appeal to you, you can consider working for weather consulting firms, or explore freelance opportunities.
Then once you have some experience in the field, you can work with an experienced news talent agent who can help you forward your career from there.
Do You Have What It Takes?
If you feel confident about becoming a broadcast meteorologist and are ready to pursue this avenue, we hope you found this article helpful, and we wish you the best of luck.
Then once you have some experience and are seeking representation, don’t hesitate to contact us.
With decades of experience as news talent agents, we have the experience, expertise, and CONNECTIONS to get you noticed.
Kelsey Kernstine
December 5, 2024 by
Fast Facts
Name: Kelsey Kernstine
Market: #3
Current Station: NewsNation
Current Title: Anchor/Reporter
Preferred Title: Anchor/Reporter
Experience: 10+ years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
