QM Events
January 15, 2015 ARCHIVES
Neal Shapiro, President and CEO of WNET leads one of the highest profile culture programmers in the U.S.. As the January Media Guru, he will discuss the company’s place in its community, in the country and among its media competitors. Being both a media property and a non-profit used to be much rarer, than it has been recently. So when Shapiro took his job seven years ago, he was ahead of the curve; now his record and management style have become a guide to the newer community media companies that are springing up. Shapiro has made WNET more effective and more efficient since he took over. During his tenure, Shapiro managed to set new fundraising records, increase local and national productions, expand distribution and stabilize the station’s financial standing. Shapiro continues to look for new opportunities to expand public media’s value by increasing programming and enhancing community services. In an interview at Channel 13’s 50th anniversary, Shapiro explained that the way “we see in us becoming engaged in the City is really about engaging with the community. It’s not just the great programs we do, it’s getting people involved, and using media to bring people together.” Before joining WNET, Shapiro was President of NBC News from 2001 to 2007. In 25 years as a broadcast journalist and executive, he has won 3 Columbia DuPont Awards, 31 Edward R. Murrow Awards and 32 Emmys. He has served on the APT Board and is now on the boards of Gannett and his alma mater, Tufts University. Quantum Associate, Brian O’Leary, moderated the breakfast.