Exceptional TV news talent has more than just great stage presence. While that’s a necessary component, there has to be far more than that.
That’s why talent agent Mort Meisner is frustrated that the industry is moving away from hiring singular talent and replacing it with teams.
And when it comes to recognizing true talent, he’s one of the best in the country. He’s found more than his fair share.
A Couple of Success Stories
When Meisner first started his agent business, one person who stood out among others was Craig Nigrelli. When Meisner met Craig, he had aspirations of becoming an anchor. He also had an agent who didn’t believe in him.
Meisner recognized he was rough around the edges, but believed he could do it. So Nigrelli fired his current agent and Meisner got him a morning anchor job quickly. Of the large pool of talent he now represents, Nigrelli continues to have Meisner represent him and is an anchor in Wichita.
As Meisner became further established as an agent, he was frequently approached by those not in the broadcasting industry looking to change jobs. Irika Sargent was one of those people.
Several years ago, she reached out to him and said she was an attorney who was interested in becoming an anchorwoman. Meisner recognized that she had all the necessary elements in place to make it as an anchor. He also recognized that it would take some time and told her that she’d have to take a major pay cut. Fortunately, Sargent was willing.
From there, she started in a small market in the south, moved up to Houston then eventually Miami. She is now in Chicago where she’s the top female anchor both in background and credibility.
Mort Meisner Has Always Recognized Talent
Of course, an agent isn’t solely responsible for a client’s success. There are always going to be those who have more natural talent than others. They’re just hard-wired for it. Still, no matter your level of talent, having an experienced agent can give you distinct advantages.
When Allen Devlin reached out to Meisner 3 1/2 years ago, he was a reporter at the NBC affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina. Demonstrating serious natural talent, he’d already won several prestigious awards. His goal was to get back to his hometown of Atlanta though. So he reached out to Meisner to figure out how to make that happen. Devlin had a fantastic reel that Meisner oversaw.
With that, Meisner was able to take advantage of his multiple contacts at the CBS affiliate and other stations in the market. Soon enough, there was a bidding war for Devlin’s services.
Recognizing true talent, several stations in the Atlanta market and beyond were courting Devlin. He landed seventeen interviews and received nine offers. He ultimately accepted one of those offers in his hometown of Atlanta. Since that time, he has continued to grow as a reporter and has become an outstanding anchor. Meisner continues to be his agent.
Championing for Every Client
Mort Meisner has always recognized talent and he continues to be a champion for news talent all over the country – fighting every day to ensure they get the benefits and the pay they deserve.
For a deep dive into how Mort started his career and became a true agent of change, you can read his memoir, Enough to Be Dangerous.
And if you’re a broadcast news anchor, reporter, sports reporter, or meteorologist ready to experience the benefit of working with one of the most experienced and well-connected TV news talent agents in the country, contact Mort today! He WILL do everything in his power to get your dream placement.
