WNET Group CEO Neal Shapiro to retire this year, move to fundraising role

Neal Shapiro, president and CEO of the WNET Group in New York, will retire from the position at the end of his contract this year.

A news release said Shapiro reached his decision in consultation with the organization’s board of trustees and that he will remain as CEO until a successor is identified. After a new leader is selected, Shapiro will move into a new role as president emeritus to support “WNET’s fundraising priorities and organizational objectives,” according to the release.

“Leading WNET has been the privilege of my professional career,” Shapiro said in the release. “After careful consideration, I believe this is the right time to pass the torch to new leadership who will build on our momentum and guide WNET through its next chapter. I’m enormously proud of what our team has accomplished together, and I’m confident WNET’s future is bright.”

Shapiro became president of WNET in 2007 and took on the CEO title the following year after William Baker stepped down. During his tenure, the WNET Group expanded to include WPPB-FM in Southampton, N.Y., which became WLIW-FM, and WEER-FM in Montauk, N.Y. The organization also acquired New Jersey’s state network in 2011 and rebranded it as NJ PBS. Later this year, the WNET Group will end its operating agreement with the network.

Under Shapiro, the WNET Group made All Arts a 24/7 arts hub in 2019 and transitioned the weekly program MetroFocus to daily before canceling the show in late 2023 amid job cuts. Last year, the television side of WLIW launched a partnership to broadcast four new series from Newsday Media Group.

The news release also noted that in his role as an advisor, Shapiro helped drive the growth of CentralCast, a joint master control facility that has expanded to serve more public television stations across the country.

Shapiro was president of NBC News before joining WNET and was also an EP for NBC’s Dateline and a producer for ABC News.

Going forward, WNET plans to move to a new headquarters and the news release said it will reduce its overhead to “create a collaborative workspace for the office of tomorrow.”

“We are deeply grateful for Neal’s exceptional leadership,” said WNET Board Chair James A. Attwood Jr. in the news release. “His vision, integrity, and unwavering commitment to our mission, have elevated public media and strengthened our service to millions of viewers. While we will miss his leadership, we celebrate his remarkable legacy and the profound impact he has had on our organization.”

The board of trustees has begun a search for Shapiro’s successor and will announce further details in the coming months.

“In this next chapter, WNET remains committed to operating in alignment with our mission, even amid a complex industry environment,” Attwood said. “We look forward to finding a leader who will build on Neal’s legacy with the same commitment to excellence and innovation.”