Fast Facts
Name: Nick Bradshaw
Market: #5
Current Station: N/A
Current Title: Reporter/MMJ
Preferred Title: Reporter/MMJ
Experience: 10+ Years
Agent Name: Steve Koles
Agent Phone: (248) 545-2222
Agency: Mort Meisner Associates
Nick Bradshaw
October 31, 2025 by
Melissa Wright
October 29, 2025 by
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
Contact
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.
What to Know About Becoming TV News Talent
September 17, 2025 by
Most people who are drawn to becoming TV news talent possess certain qualities.
They’re great storytellers, have excellent communication skills, know how to handle pressure and deadlines, are able to demonstrate integrity and humanity, and live a generally well-rounded life.
But that’s just the beginning.
What to Know About Becoming TV News Talent
TV news talent refers to broadcast anchors and reporters, meteorologists, and sports reporters. And just as in any profession, there are multiple aspects to each job and certain skills and traits required to excel.
We’ll take a look.
News Reporter/Anchor
If you’re curious about becoming a reporter or anchorperson, you should know it’s much more than sitting behind a desk and reading a teleprompter. As a news reporter, you do research and conduct interviews to investigate news stories. Then you find a way to share the information in an accurate but interesting way.
You also contribute to articles and features related to any story you’re assigned. Furthermore, you must be able to determine the accuracy of any facts you gather and work with editors and producers to create on-air reports.
News reporters and anchors often work under tight deadlines and there are times you’ll need to conduct follow-up reporting on your stories. You will also need to have some familiarity with operating the technical and recording equipment needed for covering stories live and in the field.
Meanwhile, when you’re not on camera, you’ll need to possess advanced research and writing skills as well as creativity and storytelling abilities. You’ll also need an understanding of journalistic best practices and ethics – which will become more attuned with education and time working in the field.
Meteorologist
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.
Working as 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.
Sports Reporter
If you’re hungry to dazzle an 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 may be well cut out to become a sports reporter. 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 sports 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.
The Importance of a Great TV News Talent Agent
Even if you’re able to fulfill all of the responsibilities of any of these jobs, you’ll go much farther much faster is you hire a skilled and talented TV news talent agent.
The single most important aspect of a great agent is not one who merely gets you the best placement in the market you desire. While that’s crucial, you want an agent who will stay engaged even after you land the job you want (or the one that’s going to help you get that one).
A dedicated and serious TV news talent agent is one who:
- Frequently asks you to send your work so that they can critique it and make you a more well-rounded reporter, anchor, or meteorologist.
- Regularly follows up with your employer, inquiring how you can do better and how they can help you with that.
- Is interested in nurturing your continued growth as a reporter/anchor/meteorologist and stays connected to help you grow faster in your job or, in cases where you might be faltering, even SAVE your job.
There are plenty of agents who don’t put in this extra work. They’ll even tell you it’s above their pay grade. And maybe it is. But don’t you still deserve it? (The answer is yes, yes you do.)
And you can have it.
Don’t Settle for Less
If you’re interested in becoming TV news talent, or have already started taking steps toward doing so, feel free to contact TV news talent agent Mort Meisner with any questions.
Because to be successful, you’ll need someone who cares about you before the search, during the search, and after the search to help you stay successful and foster growth as you advance.
As one of Mort’s prized clients, you’ll get exactly that.
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
Sage Advice from Long-Time TV News Talent Agent
September 10, 2025 by
Are you in the early years of being a broadcast news anchor, reporter, broadcast meteorologist, or sports reporter?
If so, you likely possess the ability to deliver an interesting story in a concise and compelling way. And you probably have the personality and the flair to resonate with your audience. After all, these are obvious requirements to succeed in the world of TV broadcasting.
Yet, many folks who are newer to the broadcast news business find themselves stalled out and wondering why they’re not progressing. It doesn’t take long before they’re seeking advice from long-time TV news talent agent, Mort Meisner. Below are just four nuggets of wisdom he often shares:
Your Demo Reel Should Reflect YOU
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.
Mort frequently reminds TV news talent that while there are guidelines for making demos, there are no steadfast rules. He does have certain recommendations he offers news talent depending on their career goals.
For example, for an anchor reporter, the reel should be in the 13- to 15-minute range. Mort advises a montage that’s about 50% stand-ups in the field and 50% shots at the anchor desk. After that, the talent should lead the demo with two blocks showcasing his or her area of reporting.
Meanwhile, the average demo for a reporter should be a little shorter at about 9-10 minutes. It should begin with a very dynamic 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 that the reporter be in the story. Hard news reporters should also include a super feature story.
Don’t Resort to Clickbait Journalism
Discouraged by the withdrawal of viewers, there’s an appeal to draw them back with clickbait headlines or overly in-depth reporting. Mort tells aspiring talent that this is a guaranteed way to get noticed by TV news talent agents. But for all the WRONG reasons. And he assures them they’ll have a hard time getting placed with any respectable news outlet.
Good broadcast journalists with integrity prioritize facts over sensationalism and provide analysis and context that go beyond the headlines. They focus on stories that are of interest to the public and hold powerful entities accountable.
Demand Integrity and Truth
In the same vein as not resorting to clickbait journalism, Mort stresses to his clients the importance of uncovering the facts and presenting them with integrity and truth. He often recalls one of the biggest stories he would cover – the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan attack in 1994.
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 skills of investigative reporter Scott Lewis, Mort’s CBS affiliate station in Detroit was uncovering the whole bizarre and twisted 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 not to broadcast the story, to which Mort responded, “Fine. Don’t use the story.” So they didn’t. And even they they were the competition, Mort gave it to NBC instead. He knew the facts needed to be presented.
Be Patient!
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 Mort has witnessed, however, such impatience can result in career issues and even disaster. He calls this “short-term gain in long-term pain.”
He’s watched as many truly talented people blow up their careers because they simply weren’t ready for the job(s) they landed. So he always advises 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, well, that’s his job.
Seeking More Advice from Long-Time TV News Talent Agent Mort Meisner?
Moving forward in your career should never be only about making more money. A great agent will ask you to consider whether your next career move is the best choice for you on many different levels. And then he or she will be there to guide you every step of the way.
In addition, an excellent agent is unafraid to tell the talent what they need to hear versus what they want to hear because he or she knows it will benefit the talent in the long run.
So if you want that sort of guidance and caring advice from long-time TV news talent agent Mort Meisner, then contact him today. He’s always eager to help in any way he can.
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
