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NBC News chief Shapiro resigns
Reuters ^ | 9/6/05

Posted on 09/06/2005 2:09:09 PM PDT by LdSentinal

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - NBC News President Neal Shapiro resigned on Tuesday, ending months of speculation about his future at the network that is facing heightened competition at its flagship morning program, "Today." An NBC spokeswoman confirmed Shapiro's resignation, which the 12-year network veteran announced in a memo to news staff. He has held the top NBC News job since 2001.

Shapiro said he had been considering a change since the network began its annual planning and that he missed the creativity he enjoyed in previous jobs as a producer.

"I've concluded that it's time to move on to a new challenge," Shapiro wrote in a copy of the memo obtained by Reuters.

As NBC News president, Shapiro also was responsible for the news gathering of cable TV network MSNBC.

Shapiro joined NBC in 1993 as executive producer on its widely-watched "Dateline NBC" news magazine. He came aboard after the show lost credibility by faking crash test results in a story on trucks made by General Motors Corp.

Under Shapiro, "Dateline" turned around and increasingly gained viewers. It expanded to multiple nights weekly and earned solid ratings and advertising revenue for the network run by the NBC Universal division of General Electric Co..

COVERAGE OF SEPT. 11

Shapiro's success won him the job of NBC News President in 2001, months ahead of the September 11 attacks. He oversaw the network's coverage of that event, the war in Iraq and the smooth transition to current nightly news anchor Brian Williams from veteran Tom Brokaw, who retired last fall.

"It's important to me that my departure not be used in anyway to diminish the accomplishments of this news division," Shapiro wrote.

In recent months Shapiro had come under pressure to boost viewers at "Today," whose audience size has shrunk while ABC rival "Good Morning America" grew.

This past spring, he and his boss, NBC Universal Television Group President Jeff Zucker, replaced executive producer Tom Touchet with Phil Griffin to shake up the show.

In its 1990s heyday, "Today" was run by Zucker. Back in May, the weekly viewership gap between No. 1 rated "Today" and No. 2 "Good Morning America" closed to a narrow 40,000 viewers. But by July it had widened again to more than 500,000 viewers.

In a separate memo, Zucker said Shapiro had approached him "several months ago," about moving on.

Zucker said NBC executive Steve Capus will serve as acting president of NBC News until a replacement can be named. No timetable was given for naming a new president.

Neither Zucker nor Shapiro were available for comment.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bias; liberalmedia; msm; nbc; nbcnews; nealshapiro; resignation; shapiro
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To: LdSentinal

NBC hates the JOOOOOS


21 posted on 09/06/2005 2:16:33 PM PDT by Republican Red (''Van der Sloot" is Dutch for ''Kennedy.")
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To: LdSentinal
"I've concluded that it's time to move on to a new challenge," Shapiro wrote in a copy of the memo obtained by Reuters.


What?


Trying to help out Err America?


Or producing the "Uncle Snuffy and Fluffy Bunny Cartoon Cavern", mornings on UHF low power channel 162 in Mule Glands Montana?

Well?
22 posted on 09/06/2005 2:17:19 PM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (Bumper sticker "Martyrs or Marines: Who do YOU think will get the virgins?")
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To: Republican Red

Thats just grapevine stuff....


23 posted on 09/06/2005 2:18:07 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Pitchforks and Lanterns..with a smiley face!)
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To: samadams2000

Would it be true that Chris Matthews is next? That would be music to my ears. He hasn't recovered from the 2004 elections.


24 posted on 09/06/2005 2:18:48 PM PDT by griswold3 (Ken Blackwell, Ohio Governor in 2006 - George Allen, POTUS 2008)
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To: LdSentinal
What are the odds that NBC will replace Shapiro with a person who does not hate conservatives?

ZERO?

25 posted on 09/06/2005 2:19:23 PM PDT by GOPJ (A person who will lie for you will lie against you.)
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To: Brilliant
Yep, Al Franken, Michael Moore or Sean Penn would fit in nicely with potato head Tim Russert's political discourse and daily liberal biases of Katie & Matt.
26 posted on 09/06/2005 2:19:36 PM PDT by demkicker ((Life has many choices. Eternity has only two. Which one have you chosen?))
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To: LdSentinal

The ratings of Fox during the last week will be staggering. If anyone finds them, please post them forthwith. Thanks in advance.


27 posted on 09/06/2005 2:19:36 PM PDT by kittymyrib
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To: LdSentinal

Zucker is very happy now... The NBC world is his and his alone... WOW and he orchestrated it in five years...


28 posted on 09/06/2005 2:19:39 PM PDT by ARA
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To: samadams2000

" Chris Mathews is reported to be next for the firing squad at NBC. Rumour is propaganda isnt selling like the old days."


Third place out of three for how many years and PMSNBC Matthews is still there! He is a Bush hater however and that trumps ratings. PMSNBC Matthews can always be campaign manager for Cindy Sheehan when she runs for Congress as he suggested.


29 posted on 09/06/2005 2:19:50 PM PDT by Rosemont
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To: antaresequity
It is so tough to be 'creative' when you have millions of informed citizens watching your every move...

Yeah, seems to me the only thing not missing from NBC news was the creativity.

30 posted on 09/06/2005 2:21:00 PM PDT by Egon (By the way, I took the liberty of fertilizing your caviar.)
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To: griswold3

Like I said pure grapevine gossip. Usually only about 65% accurate. I hear propaganda may get a part of the ax this week. Setting the tone for the next propagandist who takes the job.


31 posted on 09/06/2005 2:21:03 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Pitchforks and Lanterns..with a smiley face!)
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To: LdSentinal

Bu-Bye


32 posted on 09/06/2005 2:26:08 PM PDT by manwiththehands (If the Left offends you, stick around. They are just getting started.)
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To: kittymyrib

Newsmax had some ratings for Monday night of the hurricane. CNN gained on FOX. They had something like 2 million views as compared to Fox's 2.3 million. CNN usually has about 500,000. SO CNN had the momentum. I hear from Freepers they had great coverage until about Tuesday night went they went into their Bush's fault, Iraq war, racism charges. All downhill from Monday.

It will be interesting to see if they kept up their ratings surge or once again chose politics over good coverage and people deserted them for FOX.


33 posted on 09/06/2005 2:26:14 PM PDT by Republican Red (''Van der Sloot" is Dutch for ''Kennedy.")
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To: antaresequity
The internet has underminned those poor old executive producers of 'news' shows.

It is so tough to be 'creative' when you have millions of informed citizens watching your every move...

He he he.

I'm sure he told him "several months ago," that he wanted to spend more time with his family or pursue other carrer options.</sarcasm>

34 posted on 09/06/2005 2:27:18 PM PDT by michigander (The Constitution only guarantees the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.)
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To: dynachrome

NBC Loosing credibility and ratings? Golly! You could knock me over with a feather.


35 posted on 09/06/2005 2:29:22 PM PDT by oyez
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To: LdSentinal
Well, I think they should get rid of:

Katie Couric

Ann Curry

Chris Matthews

Joe Scarborough

Ron Reagan (why does he even get to be on TV?)

Tim Russart and Matt Laurer need to be put on a 90 probation. If either of them quote the NYT, or have Biden, Hagel, Hillary or McCain on the show in that 90 period, they get canned on the spot.

36 posted on 09/06/2005 2:30:04 PM PDT by jennyjenny
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To: Brilliant

"And Damnit, people like him!"


37 posted on 09/06/2005 2:31:56 PM PDT by dynachrome ("Where am I? Where am I going? Why am I in a handbasket?")
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To: samadams2000

SERIOUSLY??? Nothing could make me happier- I have grown to detest him.

Shapiro leaving. God knows how I wish he'd take ALL the rest of the narrow-minded biased "journalists" with him...


38 posted on 09/06/2005 2:33:50 PM PDT by SE Mom (God Bless those who serve..)
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To: evets; All

Just wondering if Kanye West even has a high school diploma?


39 posted on 09/06/2005 2:36:51 PM PDT by uncitizen
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To: SE Mom

" Ron Reagan (why does he even get to be on TV?) "


So, they can show the world, look it's Ronald Reagan's son and he even hates Bush.


40 posted on 09/06/2005 2:37:19 PM PDT by Rosemont
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