Fast Facts
Name: Melissa Wright
Market: #72
Current Station: KMTV
Current Title: Anchor/Reporter
Preferred Title: Anchor/Reporter
Experience: 5 Years
Agent Name: Steve Koles
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Melissa Wright
October 29, 2025 by
The Role of Crisis Management for TV News Talent Agents
October 27, 2025 by
As a broadcast TV news anchor, reporter, or meteorologist, you likely know the benefits of having an agent.
For example, having someone with connections in the industry is crucial for getting your foot in the door. And with a good agent, you’ll find out about available jobs before it’s public information. These are just a couple of perks.
But one of the lesser-known benefits is the role of crisis management for TV news talent agents. And if you don’t have an agent that excels in this area, you could be putting yourself at risk.
The Job of Crisis Management for TV News Talent Agents
Working in any capacity as a broadcaster means you’re in the public eye. That means there’s always the chance you’ll be involved in a scandal or other negative incident that could besmirch your reputation.
A powerful TV news talent agent knows how to contain potential damage and provide strategic guidance to their clients. They leverage their network to coordinate communication that will protect the client’s reputation, image, and career.
Here’s how it generally works:
Monitoring and Identifying
Once an agent signs a client, they immediately work toward identifying any possible vulnerabilities. From this, they can craft a plan for a variety of crisis scenarios before they potentially happen.
In addition, a skilled agent is monitoring all forms of media to determine the public’s perception of their client. They’re attuned to any negativity or issues that could become a crisis.
Another role for a TV news talent agent is to help prepare clients for interviews and public appearances. They train them to project confidence and deliver a consistent message to help prevent situations that could trigger a crisis.
Responding and Managing
In the event of an actual crisis, a TV news talent agent serves to field media inquiries while coordinating with PR experts to control the narrative by creating a clear and concise message. They may also coordinate with legal counsel, as needed.
Working with an agent who has established relationships with media outlets and other broadcasters is crucial for managing important media interactions. In times of crisis, they guide the client on best practices in presenting public statements. They also coordinate press statements and interviews to accurately represent the client.
The ultimate objective of a TV news talent agent is to protect their client’s professional reputation. They work diligently to mitigate damage to existing contracts and opportunities, with an eye on minimizing any potential long-term career damage.
Strategizing and Rebuilding
Once the crisis is contained, a TV news talent agent sets out to implement strategies that will restore the client’s reputation through public relations, showcasing corrective actions, and creating well-crafted statements. An agent may also suggest that the client pivot to choose projects that reflect a positive narrative. These would all be components of a long-term plan to regain trust and demonstrate a commitment to change on the part of the client.
Does Your Agent Have Your Back?
Are you confident that your current agent is well-versed in crisis management for TV news talent agents?
You can be sure Mort Meisner is. With over 30 years of experience as an TV news talent agent, there’s not a crisis that he can’t successfully manage.
So contact him today. And get the absolute most from your TV news talent agent.
Katie McCall
October 17, 2025 by
Fast Facts
Name: Katie McCall
Market: #1
Current Station: N/A
Current Title: Freelance Anchor
Preferred Title: Anchor/Reporter
Experience: 10+ years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
The Value of a Good Attitude and a Great TV News Agent
October 7, 2025 by
For TV news broadcast talent, two of the most important things you can possess are a good attitude and a great TV news agent. Long-time TV news talent agent Mort Meisner knows this better than most.
Having an experienced agent who’s well-connected and who believes in you holds tremendous weight in the often unstable world of broadcast television.
But when a great agent is paired with true ability and a positive attitude on the part of the talent, the possibilities are truly endless. Brandon Roux is an example of this.
Who Is Brandon Roux?
If you lived in and watched the news in the Detroit area any time between 2010-2023, you most certainly saw Brandon Roux on your TV screen. Joining the NBC-affiliate WDIV weather team in Detroit, Brandon quickly won over an audience with his warmth, kindness, and engaging persona.
Upon arriving at WDIV, Brandon was far from a newbie broadcast meteorologist. His talent had previously landed him at WBNS in Columbus, Ohio, at WFTC in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at KTNV in Las Vegas, Nevada, and at KIVI in Boise, Idaho. “I’ve worked in every time zone and every climate from the Las Vegas desert to the frozen tundra of the Twin Cities,” he told WDIV.
With this vast experience, he was able to deliver accurate and engaging weather forecasts for the Detroit area utilizing new media platforms and technologies. He produced high-quality video content and possesses skills in video production, video editing, and meteorological data analysis.
But one of the aspects viewers loved most about Brandon was his passion for educating and informing the public about weather phenomena and climate change. He made complex scientific concepts accessible and appealing to diverse audiences.
Brandon is highly educated with degrees in Journalism and Atmospheric Science from Iona University and Mississippi State University. And during his time as a broadcast meteorologist, he secured various prestigious accolades, ranging from the 2009 Associated Press Award for Outstanding Weather Operation and Best Weather Continuing Coverage to the Seal of Approval from the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association.
So What Happened?
When Brandon left WDIV after 13 successful years in 2023, viewers were disappointed but wished him well on his next venture. Whatever that was. There didn’t seem to be any information about where he was heading.
Unfortunately, Brandon didn’t know either. He got caught up in a buyout with many others at WDIV, which ultimately left him scrambling for work. So he turned to his agent, Mort Meisner, to get the ball rolling.
Mort used his skills and talent to generate interest around Brandon, who’s considered major market talent. But try as he might, nobody – not even the small or medium markets – was responding. This is just the way it goes sometimes in the TV news business.
Being in limbo may have discouraged someone with lesser talent to leave the industry. Not Brandon. He never lost faith in himself or in Mort’s ability to find him the right spot. While Mort continued to use his vast connections, Brandon demonstrated a great attitude. He stuck with his commitment to continue learning and improving, seeking to collaborate with other professionals and experts in the field of weather and media.
Eighteen months later (which included a short stint as a substitute teacher), Brandon recently announced that he accepted a job as a broadcast meteorologist at CBS-owned and -operated station WBBM in Chicago.
As a Chicago native, it’s a joyous homecoming.
The Value of a Good Attitude and a Great TV New Talent Agent
The story of Brandon Roux demonstrates the value of having a good attitude and a great TV news talent agent on the road to success. At the end of the day, Brandon was hired into one of the top TV news markets in the world. But it took patience, perseverance, and faith to get there.
As Mort says, “The bottom line is this. If you stay the course and keep at it, and if you believe in yourself and your agent believes in you, it usually winds up being more a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.”
Interested in how Mort can make his connections work for you? Contact him today. His success is about your success.
Jonathan Novack
September 15, 2025 by
Fast Facts
Name: Jonathan Novack
Market: N/A
Current Station: N/A
Current Title:
Preferred Title: Meteorologist
Experience: 10+ Years
Agent Name: Steve Koles
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
Neydja Petithomme
September 12, 2025 by
Fast Facts
Name: Neydja Petithomme
Market: #36
Current Station: WLOS
Current Title: Reporter
Preferred Title: Reporter
Experience: 5 years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
Edward Moody
September 2, 2025 by
Fast Facts
Name: Edward Moody
Market: #96
Current Station: WBTW
Current Title: Anchor
Preferred Title: Anchor
Experience: 10+ Years
Agent Name: Steve Koles
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
Looking to Get Back into the News Business?
August 14, 2025 by
Sure, there will always be TV news talent who have been in the ‘biz’ for seemingly ever. It’s the woman whom viewers have watched go from a young upstart to an established anchor. Or maybe it’s the well-known meteorologist whom viewers can barely remember as that shy guy at the beginning of his career.
This isn’t how it works for everyone though.
So if you’re a TV news reporter, anchor, meteorologist, or sports reporter looking to get back into the news business after some time away, you’re definitely not alone. And the most important thing you can provide to potential employers is an up-to-date demo reel.
Is a Demo Reel Really That Important?
Yes! As they say in the business, no demo, no job. That’s just a cold, hard fact. No matter how long or in what capacity you were previously working as TV news talent.
And your demo should be as current as possible. In other words, it should reflect the most recent material you did from your previous station as well as anything new that you shoot.
Now, if you’ve been out for a year or less and you updated your reel while you were still working, you can use your current reel. (Regularly updating your reel is important so that you have a reel ready in the event you are suddenly let out of a contract, you’re let go, or if you quit for personal reasons.)
If, however, you’ve been out for several years, you’ll need to cut a new demo. That means you’ll need to hire a service to help you and possibly use some old videos along with any new material you create.
The reason is simple. You may look different, and your skills may not be the same. And at the end of the day, nobody wants to see material that is outdated when applying for a job. It does not give an accurate representation of who you are now.
Are There Rules for Making a Demo Reel?
There are guidelines, but not steadfast rules for making demo reels. Experienced TV news talent agents typically offer certain recommendations to talent based 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, a montage that’s about 50% stand-ups in the field and 50% shots at the anchor desk is often advised. You should lead the demo after that with two blocks that showcase your 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 you are in the story. If you’re a hard news reporter, you should also include a super feature story.
Are You Looking to Get Back into the News Business?
If you’re looking to get back into the news business, having a TV news talent agent can be incredibly helpful in opening doors for you.
A responsible agent can advise you on best practices for your reel. Furthermore, if you went on hiatus for important personal reasons, your agent can vouch for you, making potential bosses more sympathetic to your plight.
So if you’re ready to dive back in, contact longtime TV news talent agent Mort Meisner today. With over 30 years of experience, he has the skills and the connections to get you back on the broadcast news track.
Nationally-Renowned TV News Talent Agent Continues to Give All to His Clients
July 31, 2025 by
Being a TV news talent agent can be grueling work – both mentally and physically. And for many agents who have been doing the work for a couple of decades, they start slowing down, phoning it in, or simply retire.
Not nationally-renowned TV news talent agent Mort Meisner. With more than 30 years under his belt, Mort continues to be as engaged with his clients as he was when he first started – going the extra mile in placing clients where he knows they will thrive.
But for many news reporters, meteorologists, and sports reporters, this often means taking jobs in smaller markets as they hone their skills and build a name for themselves, all with Mort’s help.
The Story of Aaron Parseghian
Many young men and women come to Mort with the dream of working in their hometown. For some of these folks, their hometown is in a larger market like New York, St. Louis, Cleveland, or Detroit. For them, the journey often takes a little longer.
This is how it worked for Aaron Parseghian. His dream was to return to his hometown of Boston.
When Aaron signed with Mort, he was in Grand Rapids. He shared with Mort his desire to work in Boston, and Mort told him he’d need one stop before having a chance there. Aaron listened to and trusted Mort, so he accepted a position in Tampa. He would spend a few years there, gaining experience in this larger market while he and Mort put together a fantastic demo reel. One that would make him especially attractive in Boston.
He would stay in contact with Mort, asking for his advice and guidance every step of the way.
The Benefit of Working with a Nationally-Renowned TV News Talent Agent
Mort believes it’s crucial that agents be upfront and honest with clients about whether they’re good enough (or will likely ever be good enough) for their hometown or dream market. In many cases, reporters or meteorologists might have what it takes to get to their dream market, but are unwilling to accept that it takes time. And without a willingness to learn and be coached in order to grow, they may never get there.
With so many years in the business, Mort could see that Aaron was a dedicated and hard worker and that he did have what it took. And it didn’t take long for Aaron to recognize that he had made the right decision in signing with Mort. In his words:
“Mort is an absolute rockstar and exactly the kind of person you want in your corner. He’s been both my agent and my friend for over three years now. From the start, he turned my goal of reaching a top 20 market into reality, quickly lining up interviews and securing an offer in Tampa that he successfully negotiated up.
When I set my sights on an even bigger goal, returning to my hometown of Boston, Mort was relentless. He made sure I was in front of the right people, coordinated interviews, and kept pushing through every hurdle until we landed the right fit.”
Of course, even though Aaron had developed an impressive reel, there still needed to be an actual opening in Boston.
Landing the Job in Boston
In the final year of Aaron’s contract in Tampa, Mort worked tirelessly with his ear to the ground trying to find not just any job in Boston, but the right one for Aaron. Meanwhile, Aaron continued to hone his skills and deepen his experience as a reporter.
Mort knew eventually they’d find someone in Boston who would fall in love with Aaron. As it turned out, two stations were interested in him. But there was only one job that was right for Aaron. The stars aligned and Aaron is heading back home where he’ll begin the first week of August at CBS-owned and operated station WBZ in Boston.
Aaron and Mort both credit the hard work each put into landing Aaron this well-earned and well-deserved position. It’s a true testament to teamwork.
Looking for a TV News Talent Agent Who Will Put You First?
As Aaron says of nationally-renowned TV news talent agent Mort, “I’m incredibly grateful for his unwavering dedication and hustle, and I look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come.”
If you’re a reporter, meteorologist, or sports reporter aiming for a new market but feeling stuck, contact Mort today.
And get ready to see what he can do for you.
Brooke Williams
July 14, 2025 by
Fast Facts
Name: Brooke Williams
Market: #123
Current Station: KATC
Current Title: Executive Reporter
Preferred Title: Anchor/Reporter
Experience: 9 Years
Agent Name: Steve Koles
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
