| Over the years, the press has given ample coverage to the accomplishments and milestones of N.S. Bienstock, Inc. Read on for a unique history of Bienstock as told by the press. |
| TIME MAGAZINE, February 25, 1980 (Cover Story) -- Heralds the agency's role in making Dan Rather "The $8,000,000 Man." |
| NEW YORK MAGAZINE, July 28, 1980 -- In a feature story entitled "The Superstar Agent of TV News," Richard Leibner is called the man "who masterminded the negotiations that resulted in Dan Rather's selection as successor to Walter Cronkite. . . . What's more, many broadcasting insiders are also convinced that Richard Leibner actually got Rather the job. . . . Every day, aspiring new Cronkites send Leibner videotapes of themselves in action, hoping to sign on with the Bienstock firm just as a $17,500-a-year Texas broadcaster named Rather did eighteen years ago." |
| PEOPLE MAGAZINE, October 27, 1980 -- Profiles Bienstock and its agents Richard Leibner, Carole Cooper and Stuart Witt as
"play[ing] a key role in bringing the salary scales of broadcast journalists to stratospheric levels" while gaining the respect, not only of their clients, but of the people across the negotiating table as well. Then-ABC News VP David Burke is quoted: "Richard is personable, honest and he remembers his commitments." |
| VARIETY, November 30, 1983 -- A banner headline across the front page proclaims: "CBS News Declares War on Agent, Sez There's Too Much Jack In The Bienstock." Ed Joyce, then CBS News President, frustrated by Bienstock's zealous and tenacious representation on behalf of its clients, attempts to publicly discredit the agency. Joyce himself is quoted as saying, "We're not just talking here about some ma and pa operation. We're talking about the General Motors of agents." Unfortunately for Joyce, he was right. With the support of its clients, one of which stated in a letter to the editor the following day that "in exchange for their commission they offer a wealth of good advice, good fellowship and patient understanding. . . in short, 100% of themselves," Bienstock won the "war" and Joyce was forced out of CBS in 1985. |
| FORBES, March 12, 1984 -- Profiles Richard Leibner as "the most successful agent representing television and radio newscasters." |
| BOSTON MAGAZINE, June 1984 -- Credits Carole Cooper with playing a key role in building a client's career from a local reporter in Boston to an NBC News Correspondent, with a short stop at WCBS in New York. |
| ELECTRONIC MEDIA, November 29, 1984 (Cover Story) -- The article entitled "News 'Stars' Turning More To Talent Agents," credits Bienstock as being one of the top agencies in the business stating that "N. S. Bienstock, operated by Richard Leibner and Carole Cooper, has an especially glamorous list of TV news clients." |
| MANHATTAN, INC., September, 1986 -- Profiles Richard Leibner in its article: "Network Noodge: The Most Powerful Agent in Broadcast Journalism is Calling. And Calling. And Calling." This eight-page profile of Leibner quotes many of the top people in the business including Dan Rather who said, "Richard is the best man in the business. . . we trust each other completely." "If any of us ever got in trouble, " said Morley Safer, "Richard would be there. I've seen it happen over and over." "Oh yes," said Diane Sawyer, "right there." "Richard is incredibly honest," said Maria Shriver. "He'd kill for me and any of his clients." |
| THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE, June 18, 1989 -- Profiles Richard Leibner in the article, "When Leibner Calls, The Networks Listen." The article touts Leibner as "the country's pre-eminent talent agent for broadcast journalists," and focuses on N.S. Bienstock's role in the transition of the business including the escalation of salaries for talent. Then Senior VP of ABC News Richard C. Wald, is quoted: "Leibner's a very, very good agent. It's valuable for an agent to be imaginative the way Richard is. Sometimes, of course, it's a pain." Read The Article |
| US MAGAZINE, November 26, 1990 (Cover Story) -- In an issue devoted to "The Heavy 100: The Most Powerful People In Entertainment," Leibner is one of only three agents on the list. |
| VARIETY, February 14-20, 1994 -- In his column "Above the Line," J. Max Robbins profiles N.S. Bienstock, Inc. as the agency that is "Sending news star salaries soaring again." |
| BROADCASTING & CABLE, March 7, 1994 (Cover Story) -- Profiles "Superagent Richard Leibner" as "The $6 Million Man," referring to the deal negotiated on behalf of Diane Sawyer with ABC News. According to Broadcast and Cable, "His clients love him, for he is largely credited with establishing dramatically higher salaries for television news talent." Read The Article |
| ELECTRONIC MEDIA, September 1997, September 1998 and September 1999 -- In its recurring article "The 10 Most Powerful People in Television News," Richard Leibner's honorable mention is the only kudo given to any agent in the business. |
| WORTH MAGAZINE, March 1999 (Cover Story) -- In its expose "Looking Out For #1: America's Best Agents Tell You Their Secrets," Richard Leibner is listed as one of the best agents in America. |
| RTNDA COMMUNICATOR, September 1999 -- N.S. Bienstock, a New York-based talent agency, has established a new fellowship, in conjunction with the RTNDF, to support promising minority professionals in television or radio news. The agency will give RTNDF $75,000 over the next four years to fund the fellowship. "Having nurtured the development of careers in our more than 35 years in the business, we are proud and delighted to have the opportunity to establish this fellowship," says Richard Leibner, co-founder and principal of N.S. Bienstock, Inc. "Programs such as this one through RTNDF are essential for the future of electronic journalism." |
| ELECTRONIC MEDIA, September 27, 1999 -- In a special report on the news industry, EM devoted four articles to Bienstock - the "powerhouse" of the industry that has "represented TV's best for 35 years." Bienstock was also given honorable mention on the "10 Most Powerful In TV News" list for the third year in a row. Read The Article |
| RTNDA/ELECTRONIC MEDIA NEWS, October,1999 -- RTNDA/Electronic Media News profiles Bienstock in a special report run on closed-circuit TV throughout the RTNDA Convention. |
| RTNDA.COM, August 2000 -- The Year 2000 N.S. Bienstock Fellowship of $2,500 will go to Marcos Najera, a reporter at PHX-TV 11 in Phoenix, AZ. The fellowship, funded by N.S. Bienstock, Inc. and established in conjunction with RTNDF supports minority professionals in television or radio news. |
| ELECTRONIC MEDIA, September 11, 2000 -- Richard Leibner, President of N.S. Bienstock, once again receives honorable mention as the only agent listed in "The Ten Most Powerful People in TV News." He is noted for "representing on-air stalwarts Diane Sawyer, Dan Rather and Mike Wallace [as well as having] cornered the market on top producers, including Jeff Fager of '60 Minutes II.'" |
| RTNDA COMMUNICATOR, December 2000 -- The industry magazine speaks with Robert Santos about the benefits of being a Bienstock client. Read The Article |
| THE NEW YORK TIMES, May 31, 2001 -- Agent Carole Cooper is lauded for brokering the deal that made Aaron Brown the "new defining face" of CNN. Read The Article |
| ELECTRONIC MEDIA, September 2001 -- Carole Cooper receives honorable mention in "The Ten Most Powerful People in TV News" as the agent who negotiated "the most intriguing news contracts written in the last year." She was the only agent to make the list. |
| O, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE, March 2002 -- In the feature article, "The Power of Two," Carole Cooper and Richard Leibner are featured as one of six couples who discuss "love, arguing, [and] sticking with it" through 37 years of marriage an 27 years of working together. Read The Article |
| ELECTRONIC MEDIA, April, 2002 -- Carole Cooper and Richard Leibner each again receive honorable mention in "The Ten Most Powerful People in TV News." They are the only agents to make the list. |
| THE NEW YORK TIMES, June 24, 2002 -- On the front page of the Business Section, The New York Times profiles N.S. Bienstock and its enviable power to consistently place clients in the high-powered broadcast positions. The Times credits "an acute eye for talent and an unrivaled insider's status [for] build[ing] one of the broadest stables of anchors, correspondents and producers in the business." |
| TELEVISION WEEK (formerly ELECTRONIC MEDIA), April 7, 2003 -- N.S. Bienstock clients Bill O'Reilly and Jeff Fager named #2 and #7, respectively, in the annual feature "The Ten Most Powerful in TV News." N.S. Bienstock was named #8. To date, they are the only agency to make this prestigious list. Read The Article |
| TELEVISION WEEK, April 19, 2004 -- N.S. Bienstock, Inc. is named #9 among the "10 Most Powerful in TV News." Bienstock clients Bill O'Reilly, Jeff Fager and Chris Matthews were also honored. N.S. Bienstock, Inc. is the only agency to ever make this prestigious list. |
| NY NEWSDAY, October 7, 2004 -- Columnist Verne Gay writes, "Richard Leibner, boss of talent agency N.S. Bienstock and the real power in New York news circles, receives the so-called Meliora Citation for Career Achievement from the University of Rochester this weekend. Bienstock represents Dan Rather, Bill O'Reilly and - well, everyone else on TV News. Period." News of Leibner's award was also reported in the NY Post and NY Daily News. |
| ROCHESTER REVIEW, Winter 2004-05 -- The University of Rochester's quarterly highlighted Richard Leibner's career in recognition of his October 2004 receipt of the Meliora Citation. Read The Article |
| NEW YORK MAGAZINE, January 3, 2005 -- Richard Leibner talks about the state of TV News. Read The Article |
| TELEVISION WEEK, April 18, 2005 -- N.S. Bienstock, Inc. was named #7 on the annual "Top 10 Most Powerful in TV News" list. Bienstock client Bob Schieffer also received an honorable mention. Bienstock remains the only talent agency ever to appear on the list. |
| TELEVISION WEEK, April 24, 2006 -- N.S. Bienstock, Inc. was named #8 among the magazine's annual "Top 10 Most Powerful in TV News." Bienstock client Bob Schieffer received an honorable mention for the second straight year. Read The Article |
| DAILY VARIETY, August 22, 2006 -- The magazine touts, "Gotham-based NS Bienstock, the dominant agency in the news business" citing their "virtual monopoly on the news biz's biggest stars . . ." |
| NEW YORK OBSERVER, December 13, 2006 -- Rebecca Dana profiles The Leibners in a special issue highlighting 29 Power Families in New York. Read The Article |
| TELEVISION WEEK, April 16, 2007 -- N.S. Bienstock, Inc. was named #9 among the magazine's annual "Top 10 Most Powerful in TV News." This marks the eleventh straight year the agency has been acknowledged in this yearly feature. Read The Article |
| TELEVISION WEEK, December 9, 2007 -- N.S. Bienstock, Inc. announced the addition of Rick Ramage as an agent based in New York. Read The Article |
| TELEVISION WEEK, April 14, 2008 -- N.S. Bienstock, Inc. was once again named #9 among the annual "Top 10 Most Powerful in TV News." The agency has made an appearance on this prestigious list for twelve consecutive years. Read The Article |
| TELEVISION WEEK, April 20, 2009 -- For the 13th consecutive year, Bienstock was represented on NewsPro's "TV News' 10 Most Powerful" list. N.S. Bienstock, Inc. appears at #9 and is the only agency to be recognized in this yearly feature! Read The Article |
| TELEVISION WEEK, April 12, 2010 -- For the 14th consecutive year, N.S. Bienstock was represented on NewsPro's annual "10 Most Powerful in TV News List," once again being the only agency to be named. Read The Article |
| FTV LIVE, June 11, 2010 -- Bienstock agent RICK RAMAGE was named among FTV Live's "Top 10 Best People in TV News." Also on the list were Bienstock clients Kristine Johnson and Natalie Morales! Read The Article |
| NEWSPRO, December 16, 2011 -- For the 15th consecutive year, Bienstock is represented on NewsPro's "Most Powerful in Television News" list. In the December issue, N.S. Bienstock, Inc. appears on the list and is once again the only agency to be recognized in this annual feature! Read The Article |
| THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, December 5, 2012 -- Congratulations to Bienstock's own CAROLE COOPER! Carole was named to The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment 2012: Power 100 list. THR's 21st annual ranking celebrates the 100 most powerful female leaders in the entertainment industry. Read The Article |
