I called Meredith Land to talk about her, but first, she wanted to talk about me.
“I’m a journalist,” she explained, around the time I started telling her about my nonexistent dating life, “so I want to know about other people.” This instant-friends quality has made her a go-to interviewer for revealing, one-on-one sit-downs on NBC’s Channel 5, where Land co-anchors the 5 and 6 p.m. news.
A native of Charleston, S.C., the 49-year-old Land has been working her charms on Dallas viewers since she moved to the area in 2003. She and her husband, Xan, have two kids, Alexander, 13, and McCall, 16, and in 2019, Land made the unconventional choice to step back from the 10 p.m. anchor spot to spend more time at home — a decision she’s never regretted, though it did lead to a robust Instagram presence (as she explains below), where she posts playful backstage peeks at the button-down business of TV news.
Eventually, Land did tell me about herself, including a high school ballet obsession, a soft spot for the latest Ryan Murphy drama and why Camp Mystic will never leave her.
News Roundups
Evening news anchor Meredith Land at work at NBC Channel 5, photographed in 2018.
Ben Torres
Who was your childhood crush?
Brad Pitt, obviously.
What was the nerdiest thing about you in high school?
I don’t know if this is nerdy, but I was obsessed with ballet from a young age, and I was still tying the ribbons of my pointe shoes in high school, dancing three to four hours a day and going over choreography in my head during class. I was a big dreamer and pretender for far too long.
So how did you wind up on TV news?
I actually started my broadcast career after graduating from Clemson. I had no intention of being on-camera. I worked my way from intern to writer at the local NBC station. I was introverted growing up and pursuing a career in print journalism. One summer, the station needed more reporters to cover a storm, and I raised my hand, and then I was on I-26 covering the evacuation for Hurricane Floyd. The general manager called me in and said, “You’re terrible right now, but one day you’ll be good. I’m giving you a reporting job.” The rest is history.
Meredith Land with her husband, Xan, and children, Alexander and McCall.
courtesy Meredith Land
I’ve read that you don’t watch much TV, but do you have a guilty binge-watching pleasure?
I do! Love Story. I love the simple, elegant style of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in the ‘90s, and that show is indulgent!
Who’s the most fascinating person in Dallas to you?
Charlotte Jones. There aren’t enough words to describe what she’s done for women, not only in sports but to anyone who aspires to greatness in their fields. Spend two minutes with her, and her authenticity and star power will rub off.
Meredith Land with Charlotte Jones, a friend and also an interview subject on NBC’s Channel 5.
courtesy Meredith Land
Some longtime journalists don’t like social media, but you thrive on Instagram. What makes that platform such a good fit for you?
I love Instagram, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. When I left the 10 p.m. news to be with my family at night, there was this void in me that needed to be filled. I remember sharing this with Charlotte Jones, who looked at me and said, very directly, “I challenge you to do news in another space, like social media. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just get in the space. I’ll be watching.” That very day I launched The Landline News on Instagram. It’s organic, and it certainly isn’t slick, but it’s what’s happening in D-FW. No spin. I’ve built a community that trusts me, and I trust them. We communicate all day, and I get to know what people really care about. It’s like a daily focus group. My followers tell me when things are off the mark.
What’s your favorite place in Dallas to eat?
I love a Greg Katz concept, especially Beverley’s. You’ll see me at Barsotti’s a bunch, too.
What’s been the most important story of your career?
Covering the deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country last summer. Several mothers reached out to me through Instagram on July 4 in desperation when their daughters were missing. These were families I didn’t know. They sent pictures and asked if our crews were on the river and if we had seen them. Walking through that hope with them, followed by the realization that their girls were gone, then seeing them in the Texas Senate chamber where mothers and fathers fought for better camp safety regulations for future campers — it’s a story I will carry in my heart forever.
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