Mel Laytner was a reporter and editor of hard news for nearly 20 years, much of it as a foreign correspondent for NBC News and United Press International covering the Middle East.
As a reporter with UPI, he covered all manner of urban mayhem in New York City, his hometown. After a stint as a one-person bureau chief, he moved to the General and Cables (foreign) Desks and became the “slot man” editor on both, responsible for selecting and editng the day’s top stories for UPI’s 400 afternoon newspaper clients.
His first foreign assignment was London. A year later, UPI moved him to Tel Aviv and shortly after that, he was named Jerusalem Correspondent. NBC News recruited Mel as its Middle East Radio Correspondent.
After eight grinding years overseas, Mel was awarded a prestigious Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Business and Economic Journalism, which included a year’s residency at Columbia’s Graduate School of Business. Mel holds Master’s degrees from both the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, and from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Mel is on the Executive Committee the multi-award winning Highland's Current, a trail-blazing nonprofit news organization serving the lower Hudson Valley.
He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Silurians Press Club, one of the oldest press clubs in the United States, where he serves as communications director.
He lives in New York City with his wife, an artist and teacher, and is the father of three daughters.