Fast Facts
Name: Mike Mason
Market: N/A
Current Station: N/A
Current Title: N/A
Preferred Title: Investigative Reporter
Experience: 27+ Years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Mike Mason
August 11, 2026 by
Is There a Future for TV News Talent?
August 11, 2026 by
With budget cuts, job consolidations, and transitions to streaming, there’s no denying that the traditional broadcast news industry is changing. But that doesn’t mean the market for news, talk, and interview content is shrinking.
If anything, it’s increasing.
And that means there is definitely a future for TV news talent. It’s just not going to be in following the linear broadcast model that has prevailed for the past fifty years. Folks entering the industry now will need to be amphibious multimedia creators.
The Drawn-Out Death of TV
TV news talent across the spectrum has been managing the drawn-out death of TV in a myriad of ways. While some have simply resigned to lower paychecks in an attempt to hang on to their lucrative deals, others have pursued better time slots paired with digital extensions to net themselves bigger contracts. Particularly from networks eager to break from diminishing pay TV revenue.
Over the next few years, there will likely be hybrid deals that will allow for TV news talent to keep one foot in each bucket. And as mentioned above, the marketplace for news, talk, and interview content is actually expanding. This is good news for seasoned TV news vets who are willing to take advantage of platforms like YouTube, SiriusXM, and even Netflix, where much of this content has shifted.
Breaking Off on One’s Own
Of course, there are anchors, reporters, and sports reporters who are looking completely beyond the world of television to find success on the other side. But it isn’t easy.
First of all, an established TV news anchor can net a 6-, 7-, or even 8-figure salary. And that doesn’t even include all of the benefits and perks. One of those perks is an entire staff of producers and crew members who make everything possible.
What some of these folks are discovering is that the costs to hire a modest production team and build a video podcast setup that meets the current standard can run up to $1 million. So not only is the move a risky one. It’s expensive. And those who make the shift quickly realize that they have to work much harder than they did before.
Some Additional Not-Always-Obvious Pitfalls
The reality is, TV news talent who have found success in digital almost always have a strong point of view. And this runs counter to the idea of staying even keel as a news personality. So an anchor who is uncomfortable with this may have a tougher time succeeding in the digital environment. They need to go in with the expectation that a straight news creator economy show is going to present differently than a point-of-view or interview-type of creator economy show.
In addition, there’s now the presence of “clipping.” This is when unscrupulous content creators clip, slice, and dice cable news segments and podcasts and publish them to platforms such as TikTok and YouTube shorts, where they reach a wide audience, but require no context. It’s an ugly practice that leaves many not knowing what’s real and what’s not.
Required Skills for the Future for TV News Talent
For future TV news talent to thrive, they’ll need to master several key areas.
First, they’ll need to establish a personal brand. The most successful journalists view themselves as a standalone business that needs to build a loyal audience. They do this through newsletters, social media, and independent video channels. Which leads us to the second key area.
Future TV news talent will need to know how to seamlessly pivot from reading a teleprompter to conducting interviews, hosting podcasts, and writing engaging digital copy. This is the aforementioned amphibious multimedia creator.
And finally, with the increasing dominance of AI, they will need to possess notable human empathy and judgment. This is an area where AI fails and cannot establish trust. It doesn’t know how to make split-second ethical decisions during breaking news, build deep community relationships, or empathize in sensitive situations. These are all required for powerful TV news broadcast journalism.
Is It Time to Get an Agent?
If you’re in the TV news industry, you know firsthand about all the changes that are happening. It can be daunting.
With a highly experienced TV news talent agent like Mort Meisner to guide you, you’ve got nothing to fear. He’s got his thumb on the pulse of this ever-changing industry at all times.
So contact Mort today to see what he can do to forward your career. He has the skills, the connections, and the know-how to make it happen.
Are You Ready for a TV News Talent Agent?
July 25, 2026 by
If you’ve been a TV news anchor, reporter, sports reporter, or meteorologist for any amount of time, you may be thinking it’s time to hire a TV news talent agent.
You’re probably right.
Hiring an experienced and well-connected TV news talent agent is going to be a boon for your career. But there are a couple of key questions you need to answer first:
Do You Want to Go Big, or Stay Local?
Many new reporters or anchors are shooting for the big time. They want to broadcast on a national network, along with the lifestyle that goes with that.
Others would prefer a smaller market and possibly one closer to home. They may be starting a family. Or they have a significant other who is rooted in his/her job. Leaving family and friends for a large network doesn’t appeal to them. Plus, they recognize there is power in local news.
For those who are insisting on major markets, affiliates, or network destinations and who are willing to go wherever they need to go to get that, an agent is indispensable. An experienced agent will be well-connected and can send your tape all over the country to give you the best shot at a new job.
Yet, agents are also happy to represent those seeking local work. For example, if you’re at a local station that’s also in a major market, you’ll want an agent to negotiate your next deal at that station. S/he can also get you a meeting at another station across town if needed.
Once you know whether you’re aiming for local or national news, the next question is this:
How Long Have You Been Working in TV News?
If you’re fresh out of school and brand new, chances are you don’t need an agent. This isn’t a given, though. A skilled agent can spot real talent and determination and will take on brand new talent if they show promise and are willing to do the work. A TV news agent is willing to coach such individuals to help them find the best first job for the most money, while also helping them help themselves so they can attain a great second job.
In addition, if someone who demonstrates true potential attended a college or university with a broadcast journalism school that produced daily live and professional-looking newscasts, they may already have a solid reel. This will help too. But even in cases where there isn’t a reel, an agent can use his or her connections to help promising new talent build one.
Meanwhile, candidates who have already gotten their feet wet working their first TV news job should definitely consider an agent. S/he can offer you so many advantages that you just won’t find out there on your own – regardless of how well you navigate the internet. An experienced TV news agent who has connections with station news directors and general managers is going to have access to information that no website will ever have. Plus, by the time you see a job posting on the internet, it’s typically gone. A TV news agent can share your info and reel long before that happens.
Which leads us to what is probably the most important question:
Where Can You Find a Trusted TV News Talent Agent?
If you’re ready to hire a TV news talent agent, start asking other TV news reporters or anchors for recommendations. In addition, attend conferences and take advantage of networking. Meeting your prospective agent face-to-face will give you a good feel for whether he or she is right for you.
During your search, there’s a good chance that you’ll either hear the name Mort Meisner, or meet him in person at a conference.
Because with over 30 years of experience in broadcast news, he’s the premier TV news talent agent. Mort knows the people and players that fuel this industry. And he’ll use those connections to get you the job you want. So contact Mort today.
A Day in the Life of a National News Anchor
July 20, 2026 by
Students choosing to study broadcast journalism are often gunning for the position of national news anchor.
A national broadcast journalist is likely to be recognized because of the sheer scope of their audience. And they interview some very well-known and influential people. Plus, there’s the high of being in a fast-paced environment and on a team that delivers timely and crucial information.
But what you may think you know about the day in the life of a national news anchor can be deceiving. It’s so much more than just being on camera.
What Is a Day in the Life of a National News Anchor Like?
On-air delivery is only part of the gig. National news anchors spend the day (or the late night/early morning in the case of morning anchors) doing research, writing, and producing. Their job demands that they constantly monitor the news so they can collaborate with editorial teams and adapt to any breaking developments.
And let’s admit it. These days, there are a LOT of breaking developments.
Before the Broadcast
Before the cameras roll, national news anchors get right to work researching and preparing for their segment. They review news wires, read scripts, and rewrite content so that it aligns with their voice and style of speaking. For those working the morning shift, this can start as early as 1:30AM. Evening news anchors typically start their day mid-morning.
In both cases, they will participate in editorial meetings to pitch story ideas, propose the angle of the day’s (or night’s) biggest headlines, and coordinate with field reporters.
As the time for broadcast nears, they need to ensure they have all of the information they need. Then they attend to hair, makeup, and wardrobe.
The Broadcast
The actual broadcast consists of sitting at the anchor desk or standing in front of digital monitors. Depending on the segment, they may read teleprompter scripts and/or receive real-time information, updates, or breaking news from executive producers through an Interruptible Fold Back (IFB, or in-ear audio earpiece).
In many cases, they will also conduct live interviews with experts, politicians, celebrities, or on-the-scene correspondents.
When the show goes to commercial, they don’t get a break. During these ‘lulls’, national news anchors not only review notes for the next segment, but are in constant communication with the control room in case they need to update scripts to reflect any breaking news.
Post Broadcast
Once the main broadcast has ended, a new round of work begins as the focus shifts to post-production and audience engagement.
Along with diving into social media to interact with viewers, read feedback, and post digital videos to keep their audiences informed, national news anchors often record promotional teasers for the next day’s broadcast or cut-ins for streaming platforms.
After that, morning anchors are involved in post-show meetings, pitching stories for the next day. Then they head home with the intention of getting to bed by 6:00 or 7:00pm. Evening anchors, on the other hand, dedicate this time to fine-tuning scripts for later news editions, or pre-recording special segments.
Are You Considering a Career as a National News Anchor?
Now that you have a better sense of a day in the life of a national news anchor, you may be setting your sights on a broadcast journalism degree. Or you might be running away screaming.
If it’s the former, we encourage you to give it your all!
And once you graduate and are looking to start establishing yourself, contact TV news talent agent Mort Meisner. He can help you work your way to the top.
Erik Avanier
July 14, 2026 by
Fast Facts
Name: Erik Avanier
Market: N/A
Current Station: N/A
Current Title: N/A
Preferred Title: Investigative Reporter
Experience: 30+ Years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
The Pros and Cons of AI in Broadcast Journalism
June 25, 2026 by
You’ve probably heard someone lately saying something to the effect of, “I had AI do my notes for billing and it helped a lot!” You may have also heard someone express a concern about losing their job to AI.
Both of these sentiments are heavily presented these days. And it’s hard to know where to stand with AI. Especially if you’re in the latter camp and worrying about lack of employment and relevance.
TV news talent is no exception. It may seem that a TV news reporter, anchor, or meteorologist couldn’t be replaced. But these days, it seems anything is possible. So we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of AI in broadcast journalism.
When Is AI in Broadcast Journalism Helpful?
For as much as it is often demonized (and we’ll get to that), AI can be helpful across many industries. The same is true for broadcast news.
The natural language processing tools in AI can summarize lengthy documents, highlight important quotes, and translate content into multiple languages. This makes journalism more accessible to global audiences. It can also be used to personalize content for readers to increase engagement.
AI also has the ability to process vast volumes of data from documents, videos, social media, and transcripts way faster than traditional methods. It can also identify patterns, anomalies, and correlations in those large datasets to provide more comprehensive reporting. Furthermore, AI can streamline tasks like trend analysis, transcription, and keyword searching. Freeing up journalists from these tasks enables them to focus on more in-depth investigations, powerful storytelling, and fact-checking.
Speaking of which…
The Cons of AI in Broadcast Journalism
Broadcast journalists are faced with an increasing wave of dis- and misinformation. This has weakened trust between audiences and those reporting the news. As such, many people have turned to social media, which is completely unverified for their news and information.
Combine this with the fact that news outlets are under significant financial strain with lessening advertising revenue and reduced subscriptions, and some outlets are making editorial compromises they may not have considered in the past. This can include prioritizing trending content over public-interest reporting. Even if the trending content isn’t always fact-checked.
All of this is made worse by AI because it can be used to generate false content, images, audio clips, and even voices that make it difficult for audiences to determine what is real. Then, newsrooms are flooded with this disinformation or misinformation and simply don’t have the resources to fact-check it all. This just further deepens the chasm of mistrust.
AI has advanced so far that in early 2024, a seasoned professional journalist from France was targeted with a deepfake that manipulated his article headline AND his voice. The altered content distorted his reporting and spread disinformation that undermined his credibility. While AI is busy harming reputations, it’s also threatening the safety and effectiveness of reporters who focus on public interest.
And automation isn’t just coming for the journalists and reporters. It could replace editors, designers, and distribution staff as well – thereby eliminating broadcast journalism as we know it.
All Is Not Lost
With content so easily altered and public skepticism on the rise, it can be difficult to know where you stand as TV news talent. How will AI in broadcast journalism impact you?
There’s no way to tell, at this point. But TV news talent agent Mort Meisner believes that maintaining clear oversight and accountability is where it begins. And he’s been in this industry for over three decades, so he’s seen it all.
If you’re a broadcast journalist who’s curious about working with a TV news talent agent who will do what it takes to ensure that AI doesn’t undermine the credibility upon which journalism depends, contact Mort today. You’ll be blown away by his expertise.
Adam Havener
June 18, 2026 by
Fast Facts
Name: Adam Havener
Market: #2
Current Station: KNBC
Current Title: Entertainment Reporter
Preferred Title: Entertainment Reporter
Experience: 13 Years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
Matt McClain
June 12, 2026 by
Fast Facts
Name: Matt McClain
Market: N/A
Current Station: N/A
Current Title: Petroleum Specialist/Political Analyst
Preferred Title:Petroleum Specialist/Political Analyst
Experience: 27 Years
Agent Name: Mort Meisner
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Contact
The Power of Perseverance in TV News Broadcasting
June 11, 2026 by
Every so often, long-time TV news talent agent Mort Meisner likes to share particularly inspiring stories about his clients.
One of his favorite stories is that of Megan Lee. Mort always praises the qualities of humility, patience, and perseverance as key stepping stones for being able to make it in this cutthroat industry. And Megan has these in droves.
She is a true example of the power of perseverance in TV news broadcasting.
Neighborhood Connection
Megan grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan; a community that neighbors his. Around the time she was a freshman at Central Michigan University, Megan’s father approached Mort at a well-known donut place that Mort frequented every morning to buy coffee and a donut for his assistant.
“Hey there, Mr. big shot agent,” he said, familiar with Mort’s status as one of the best agents in the country. “I wanted to let you know that in about three or four years, my daughter is going to be a potential client for you!” Mort had heard this line before. But always the gentleman, and forever on the lookout for real talent, he decided to stay in touch with what might pan out to be a great lead.
It was.
Megan gained extensive experience during her time at News Central 34, a CNN and CBS affiliate at Central Michigan University. A half-hour nightly newscast, broadcasting in multiple counties in Michigan, News Central 34 offered Megan the opportunity to work as a sports anchor as well as a general news anchor. And by the time Megan graduated CMU, Mort recognized that Megan did, indeed, have what it takes to make it in the industry. And he took her on as a client.
Megan’s Early Days
Megan landed her first job out of college as a multimedia journalist with WKBN in Youngstown. After about three months there, she became the evening weekend anchor. This was a great starter market, and rather than pushing Mort to place her in a bigger market, she stayed there for nearly two years and learned the ropes.
From Youngstown, she then went to Milwaukee at WTMJ and joined the news team as a multimedia journalist in July 2023. She typically reported for the 10 p.m. newscast and worked hard for nearly three years to become one of the very best reporters in the market.
Mort could see that he had a bona fide shooting star on his hands.
The Power of Perseverance
Young, energetic, smart, and resourceful, Mort knew that Megan would eventually be able to work in a bigger market like Detroit. And this was appealing because it was her hometown. But he also knew that she needed to go through the growing pains in Youngstown and Milwaukee to get there. And she listened to him.
Her humility reminded her that at the beginning she was not quite ready for that market. Yet, she was coachable, teachable, always willing to learn, and to persevere. And it paid off.
With Megan’s contract ending at the end of this summer, an opportunity was presented to her in the last month by WXYZ in Detroit. Both WTMJ and WXYZ are owned by Scripps Broadcasting. There was likely some concern that when her contract ended, another Detroit station might scoop her up. So WXYZ moved aggressively. They made a very generous offer for Megan to come to their station, and she accepted.
Both Megan and Mort were thrilled. And as far as Megan’s dad? As Mort says, “He was right! He did have a budding star on his hands. And I’m honored to now have Megan as my client and dear friend.”
Megan began her next exciting chapter in broadcast journalism in Detroit on June 3rd, 2026.
Are You a Rising Star in TV News?
If you’re looking to advance your position as a TV news anchor, reporter, sports reporter, or meteorologist, and you know the power of perseverance, Mort Meisner would love to hear from you.
Contact him today to discuss how he can help you to achieve the market you desire in the location you’d like to call home.
Then get ready to make it happen.
Rachel Just
May 26, 2026 by
Fast Facts
Name: Rachel Just
Market: N/A
Current Station: N/A
Current Title: N/A
Preferred Title: Reporter/MMJ
Experience: 7+ Years
Agent Name: Steve Koles
Agent Phone: (614) 598-5007
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
