Neal Shapiro Quotations

It was wrong for Mr. Arnett to grant an interview to state-controlled Iraqi TV, especially at a time of war, and it was wrong for him to discuss his personal observations and opinions in that interview,

Reflecting on all of this, I've concluded that it's time to move on to a new challenge,

I worked with Rick for 13 years at ABC News, and I know firsthand the energy and innovation that is his trademark. He knows every aspect of the news business, from cable to broadcast, and brings an incomparable wealth of knowledge and experience to the position.

The Today show remains number one; Meet the Press continues to set the standard on Sunday; and Dateline is still the most innovative newsmagazine on television, with as many as four or five hours in a single week. After years of flux, we've stablized and improved the programming at MSNBC. There is more work to be done, but we've taken positive steps just as we did at MSNBC.com. We've added depth and diversity to the best television newsgathering team ever assembled. I hope you all share the pride that I have about NBC News.

The world is a scarier place, and we're also living in a time when international news is once again incredibly important. We have to figure out how to cover it all.

It seems fitting to be spending my final days at work on one of the biggest stories of the year, ... I am confident I leave behind an extremely capable . . . experienced team.

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

She doesn't do the investigative, breaking news stories. What Jane does best are the stories where she can really connect with people, real triumph over tragedy.

Since last spring, there's been a lot of speculation in the press about my tenure here. I've made a decision and I wanted you to hear about what's happening from me,

important to me that my departure not be used in any way to diminish the accomplishments of this news division.