What public media must do to survive
With public money drained from public media, can the system that created The News Hour, Sesame Street, Nature, and brought us Ken Burns' America stay alive?
WNET’s CEO Neal Shapiro
says “Yes!”
His retirement just announced, this former NBC News President, who strengthened and expanded the entire PBS system during his years at WNET, is coming to tell us WHY Public Media WILL Survive!
Past Silurians president
Betsy Ashton,
a board member of the Friends of Thirteen/WNET for three decades, will interview Shapiro about its future.
Shapiro's 35-year award-winning career spanned print, broadcast, cable and online media.
As CEO of The WNET Group, Shapiro oversees operations of the country’s largest public media company including New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW21, THIRTEEN PBSKids, NJ PBS; WLIW-FM, Long Island’s only NPR station and ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider.
Before joining WNET, Shapiro was President of NBC News, leading its top-rated news programs, including Today, NBC Nightly News, Meet the Press and Dateline NBC.
Prior to NBC, Shapiro spent 13 years at ABC News. He has won numerous awards, including 32 Emmys, 31 Edward R. Murrow Awards and 3 Columbia DuPont awards.
Shapiro serves on the Boards of American Public Television (APT), TEGNA, the East Coast Peabody Board of Directors, The Edward R. Murrow Center, and his Alma Mater, Tufts University.
Join us:
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 11:30 a.m-2 p.m.
National Arts Club
15 Gramercy Park S. (20th Street)
- Note: Luncheon events are a perk open exclusively to Siluran members and their guests.
- The Club only honors prepaid reservations—no payment at door.
- Deadline for changes/cancellations: 12 noon, the Wednesday before the luncheon,
- If pre-paying by check, make out and mail to:
The Silurians Press Club
PO Box 2045, Grand Central Station
New York NY 10163 - Checks must be received by
Wed., Feb.. 17, 2026
