Fort Worth
Former WFAA anchor Marc Istook is betting on himself in his next chapter.
The TCU graduate was surrounded by his family and colleagues last week as he signed off from “Daybreak” after six-and-a-half years at the Dallas-based station. At the time, Istook said he would make an announcement soon about what’s next for him.
Istook kept true on his word and on Monday, Feb. 23, announced his new venture — Marc Istook Media.
The Fort Worth-based media company will keep Istook in the journalism world, where he plans to dive deeper into stories and have more long-form conversations. Folks can expect the same reporting from the veteran journalist across his various social media accounts and newly revamped website.
“I’m somebody who’s always thrived with new challenges and new opportunities,” Istook told the Star-Telegram on Tuesday.
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How Marc Istook Media came to pass
After years of waking up at the crack of dawn, Istook said he’s yearned for a transition.
Initially, he thought of two options — joining a new network or going into media consulting/coaching. But, over the last year, Istook saw a surge in visibility and growth in his social media content.
Whether that was sharing clips from “Daybreak” or posting breakout videos of WFAA stories, the digital business was booming. He also came to the realization that there’s only going to be more digital video in the future, not less.
“It was like the light bulb turned on, ‘Oh, there’s something here. There’s something to this,’” Istook said.
Another proof-of-concept for Istook is that his younger brother Kyle is a successful social media influencer.
Kyle is known for creating food content across his various channels that have a combined following of more than 15 million. Istook even interviewed his brother a few years ago.
While Istook says he’s not planning to follow into Kyle’s food creation footsteps, his stardom did help him further realize that this venture is sustainable.
“I’m really proud of what he’s done, and it’s pretty cool to see his success,” Istook said.
Meeting people where they’re at
As social media continues to be part of everyday life, Istook said legacy media companies are asking their journalists to meet folks where they’re at.
That, combined with the growth he’s seen on his channels, made Istook question why would he continue to grow that for someone else when he could do that for himself.
There’s also more creative freedom for Istook to explore, whether that be on topics he desires to cover or the people he wants to speak to. No decision-makers to ask, only the man in the mirror.
“The state of the world right now, these are the kind of stories that I want to tell, that I think need to be told, and not all of them you can do at a local station,” Istook said.
In addition to short-form video content, Istook is relaunching his “Dream Job” podcast.
The show originally started in 2017 and focused on people with interesting jobs and stories. Past guests include actor Tony Hale, sports analyst Lance Zierlein and Civil Rights educator Charles Woods III.
Istook said the plan is to continue speaking with interesting people who have insight into what’s happening in the world, politically, socially and culturally. His first guest for the new season is U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who is running for U.S. Senate.
“I’ve got some folks lined up that I’m really excited about for the season,” Istook said.
A new chapter
In Istook’s final “Daybreak” appearance, he mentioned being a big believer in the chapters of life.
As he turns the page, Istook said he’s been “blown away” by how positive the reception has been from his family, friends, former colleagues at WFAA and the viewers at home, who welcomed Istook into their homes every morning for years.
“I never took that for granted, but it was just so humbling to see the outpouring of people saying, ‘Let us know what you’re doing, we want to watch,’” Istook said.
As he charts a new path, Istook has big plans for his namesake company.
He would love the podcast and digital video to be successful enough to warrant a bigger staff that could produce longer-form content. Maybe one day he has his own production team and a graphics budget to boot. He also has a book in the works about the life lessons he’s learned in his three-decade media career.
What’s for certain is that Istook plans to keep telling stories, whether that’s fact-checking government officials, fighting misinformation or calling out an injustice.
The format may look a little different from what people are used to, but Istook is never one to shy away from a challenge.
“I definitely feel kind of a wide open, expansive opportunity that is really invigorating at this point in my career,” he said.
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Brayden Garcia is a service journalism reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Brayden mainly writes about weather and all things Taylor Sheridan-related.