New York, NY – May 14, 2026. Last night, The WNET Group hosted its 2026 gala at The Edison Ballroom in New York City. The gala honored Neal Shapiro, who served as the organization’s sixth President and CEO. The celebration commemorated Shapiro’s nearly 20 years of transformative leadership in public broadcasting. Also, his legacy as an award-winning producer and visionary who transformed the country’s largest public media organization from a traditional media operation into a premiere content provider.
The evening gathered speakers Juju Chang, James A. Attwood, Vanessa Wise, Stone Phillips, and Jane Pauley to highlight Neal Shapiro’s leadership. Additionally, the night concluded with a special performance by six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald. It featured five musical theater songs pivotal to Audra throughout her career.
WNET Gala Highlights:
- The evening opened with emcee Juju Chang, co-anchor of Nightline and wife to Neal Shapiro, welcoming guests to the celebration.
- Chairman of WNET’s Board of Trustees, James A. Attwood took the stage to celebrate Neal’s career, driven by his unwavering belief that, “arts deepen our humanity.”
- The WNET Group Vice President of Advancement and Chief Strategy Officer Vanessa Wise then addressed the room, framing the evening as a pivotal moment for the organization’s longevity.
- Following the dinner service, journalists Jane Pauley and Stone Phillips reunited on stage. The two reminisced about their 10-year tenure together on Dateline. Jane shared lighthearted anecdotes about Neal’s firm leadership, while Stone added a touching tribute to their long history together, quipping that his own marriage was the, “greatest Neal Shapiro production of all time.”
- The program continued with a tribute video to Neal Shapiro featuring messages from Good Morning America anchors (Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan), Hoda Kotb, Paula Zahn, Jack Ford, Alec Baldwin, Josh Mankiewicz, and more. The WNET Group President & CEO then took the stage to a standing ovation. Neal spoke to the enduring importance of the network’s mission, stating, “this country needs and deserves public media.” He closed his remarks with a simple, personal message to the supporters in the room: “Please accept my heartfelt thank you.”
- Audra McDonald graced the stage for the evening’s performance, delivering an emotional setlist. It included “I Am What I Am” (La Cage aux Folles), “Pure Imagination” (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), “Summertime” (Porgy and Bess), and “Cabaret” (Cabaret). Additionally, during her set, she led the audience in a sing-along of “I Could Have Danced All Night” (My Fair Lady). Between songs, Audra shared how PBS’ Great Performances and Live from Lincoln Center were instrumental in her development as an artist. McDonald noted that it helped her, “know what her north star was” in guiding her career.
For more than 60 years…
The WNET Group has dedicated itself to educating, inspiring, and entertaining audiences, providing countless points of entry to consume Broadway and theater content and closing the access gap to millions across the nation.
This year, WNET’s “Broadway and Beyond” programming initiative returns for a third year to offer a collection of must-see theater and arts programming. This special programming collection kicks off with Great Performances’ ninth annual “Broadway’s Best” line-up. It will premiere on THIRTEEN Fridays in May at 9 p.m. and on pbs.org/gperf. This year’s offerings include Suffs; the Chichester Festival Theatre revival of Irving Berlin’s Top Hat recorded from the West End; An Evening with Nicole Scherzinger, a performance by the stage, screen, and studio star at London’s Royal Albert Hall; and Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy.
Broadway and Beyond programs are available across all of The WNET Group’s public media channels and platforms: THIRTEEN, ALL ARTS, and WLIW/WLIW-FM. For more information, please visit thirteen.org/broadway.
About The WNET Group
The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW, THIRTEEN PBS KIDS, THIRTEEN WORLD AND WLIW Create; NJ PBS, New Jersey’s statewide public television network; Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; newsroom NJ Spotlight News; and FAST channel PBS Nature. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment, and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month.
Photo Credit: David Nicholas, 8 Salamandar Productions : (L-R: Audra McDonald, The WNET Group President & CEO Neal Shapiro, and Chairman of WNET’s Board of Trustees James A. Attwood
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