Neal Shapiro, former president of NBC News talked with The New York Times about his first year at PBS station WNET in New York. On Monday Shapiro becomes president and CEO of WNET’s parent, the Educational Broadcasting Corporation.
The Times’ Elizabeth Jensen writes, Shapiro “is reveling in no longer chasing Britney Spears interviews and in having an educational department to work with, but he acknowledged that he found the pace at his new employer slow.”
“One of the things that I think I can bring here is to try to make us a little more nimble,” he said.
As for making the move from commercial TV to a network that depends on fundraising to cover costs, Shapiro says, “you have to pay for every single thing before you start work on it,” calling the lack of discretionary funds “paralyzing.”