[9] According to his alma mater, "Shapiro oversaw the production of several major breaking-news stories, such as the Oklahoma City bombing, the death of Princess Diana, the Columbine tragedy, the war in Kosovo, and the Clinton impeachment trial when he worked as the executive producer of the Emmy Award winning Dateline.
He also served as the executive producer for several hour-long specials, including reports on corporate layoffs in America, migrant farm workers, and welfare reform.
[10] That year the New York Times said that, "Under Mr. Shapiro's guiding hand – and not always to the delight of media critics – Dateline has rewritten the rules of the news magazine show.
[15] TV News Check summarized some additional projects that Shapiro undertook, writing that, "He led the No.
He also created NBC News Productions which produces programming for many cable channels, including A&E, Bravo, Court TV, Discovery, History, and Lifetime.
[18] Other programs Shapiro commissioned include New York War Stories, New York Goes to War, Need to Know, and A Cry for Help: A Generation at Risk?, in addition to the expansion of the network's classic movie slots to include more recent independent pictures that appeal to a younger audience.
[26] In 2007 Shapiro was elected to the board of directors of the Gannett Company for his "diverse experience with network news and public television" according to chairman Craig A.
[27] On October 6, 2008, Shapiro was chosen to ring the closing bell of the NASDAQ exchange in New York City.
[28] He has served as chairman of the Communications and Media Studies Alumni Advisory Board for his alma mater Tufts University.
[8] He is also a member of the Peabody Awards[29] board of directors, which is presented by the University of Georgia's Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.