Back in 2020, former President Barack Obama spoke of the disturbing fact that so many people voted for a man with whom he felt he had absolutely nothing in common. But he made an important point:
“The voters are divided. It has now become a contest where issues, facts, [and] policies per se don’t matter as much as identity and wanting to beat the other guy. You know, that’s taken priority. I do think the current media environment adds to that greatly. This democracy doesn’t work if we don’t have an informed citizenry.”
Four years later, here we are. And TV News talent agent Mort Meisner is even more passionate about the responsibility media has in educating the public with FACTS. It’s an enduring theme in his memoir, Enough to Be Dangerous.
Just the Facts, Ma’am: Educating the Public with FACTS
Mort often recalls one of the biggest stories he would cover – the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan attack in 1994. The story made international and national headlines.
Incredibly well-connected, Mort knew Detroit Police Chief Ike McKinnon and used him as a source on every aspect of the story. With McKinnon’s intelligence and the mad skills of investigative reporter Scott Lewis, Mort’s CBS affiliate station in Detroit was uncovering the whole seemingly unbelievable and warped plot while national and international media circles couldn’t figure out how they were getting the story before everyone else.
When the CBS network questioned the veracity of the crazy story and asked Mort for his sources, he refused. They threatened to not broadcast the story, to which Mort simply responded, “Fine. Don’t use the story.” When CBS turned it down, Mort gave it to NBC instead. Even though they were his competition, he knew the facts needed to be presented.
Is What We’re Hearing True?
It’s gotten increasingly difficult to know how much of what is out there is fact, and how much is mis-, dis-, or even mal-information.
While Mort was working at ABC in Chicago in 1983, a fire started in the lavatory of an Air Canada flight that spread between the outer skin and inner panels of the plane. It was required to make an emergency landing.
Ninety seconds after the plane landed, the doors were opened. The heat of the fire combined with the fresh oxygen from the open exit doors created dangerous flashover conditions. The plane’s interior was immediately engulfed in flames – killing 23 passengers who had not yet been evacuated.
Mort had a source at the Federal Aviation Administration (remember them?) who provided him with these horrifying facts. So while national newscasts were reporting there were few or no injuries, Mort’s local news was reporting otherwise with the data they had.
This underscores the importance of having impeccable sources. Especially now, when so much bad information is being rolled out as factual.
Demanding Integrity and Truth
Back in that same interview in 2020, Obama went on to say, “I think we’re gonna have to work with the media… to find ways to inform the public better about the issues and to bolster the standards that ensure we can separate truth from fiction.”
Mort couldn’t agree more. His objective has always been to uncover the facts and present them with integrity and truth. And he looks for the same passion in his clients.
So if you’re seeking a TV news talent agent who emphasizes educating the public with FACTS, then contact Mort today. And to get an inside look at Mort’s passion in action, pick up a copy of his memoir. You’ll be entertained, inspired, and even a little bit aghast at times!
