Saul Shapiro
Encyclopedia
Saul Taylor Shapiro is President of the Metropolitan Television Alliance, LLC (MTVA). The MTVA was formed by the New York area television broadcast stations shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Those attacks completely destroyed New York’s analog and digital over-the-air television broadcast infrastructure.
The MTVA’s mission has been to coordinate the recovery and the initial rebuilding of that infrastructure at the Empire State Building, and to locate and develop permanent facilities to replace those lost in 2001. This effort included the relocation of stations to temporary facilities in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the design and construction of analog and digital facilities at the Empire State Building to meet ongoing broadcast needs, and investigation of the design and construction of the possibility of facilities on top of One World Trade Center (the Freedom Tower). In addition, the MTVA is investigating methods to further enhance the over-the-air digital signal that currently originates from the Empire State Building facility.
Previously Shapiro served four years as Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation
http://www.nycedc.com/, covering the Media and Telecommunications sectors. He was responsible for attracting investment and expansion of domestic and international companies to NYC, and to serve as an advocate for companies and industries in their dealings with city government.
Mr. Shapiro joined the EDC with experience stretching across both electronic media and telecommunications services and technology, including Sony
, the FCC
, ABC Television Network
and the Internet.
At Sony Corporation of America
he served as Vice President of Broadband Services, responsible for new business opportunities based on emerging technologies and standards, with particular focus on the strategic integration of Sony’s US e-business initiatives.
Shapiro was COO at Gist Communicationshttp://www.gist.com, then the leading independent online provider of TV listings and editorial, from 1999 to 2001. He helped redirect the company’s efforts to developing on-screen interactive applications for a variety of set-top platforms. Shapiro joined Gist from ABC Television where, as Vice President, Broadcast Technology, he was responsible for developing strategic technical initiatives and the network’s transition to digital television
broadcast technology.
Mr. Shapiro came to ABC after serving as Assistant Bureau Chief for Technology Policy in the Mass Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission
. While at the FCC, Mr. Shapiro led a team of engineers, economists and lawyers in drafting Rulemakings and Orders for the introduction of digital television
to the US broadcast market. He also acted as policy advisor to the Chairman on technological developments and trends in digital media, as well as topics related to the convergence of communications technologies.
Prior to joining the FCC, Mr. Shapiro was Director of New Business Development with Sony Corporation of America
responsible for identifying new opportunities for Sony’s Television Business Group in the emerging digital era.
Prior to entering the broadcast television business, he was a microelectronics process development engineer for a variety of firms in the Boston area.
A materials science
engineering graduate of Brown University
, Mr. Shapiro has also received an SM
in engineering from MIT and an SM in management from the MIT Sloan School of Management
as a Leaders for Manufacturing Fellow. Both of these degrees from MIT were earned in 1991. http://alum.mit.edu
Shapiro was born to Florence and Seymour Shapiro
in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York in 1956.
Shapiro has a long standing interest in design. He studied furniture design under Tage Frid
and Hank Gilpin at the Rhode Island School of Design
for two semesters and attended Harvard University's Graduate School of Design in the academic year 1982 - 83. He currently practices woodworking at the 3rd Ward
, an artist's collective in Brooklyn. NY
The MTVA’s mission has been to coordinate the recovery and the initial rebuilding of that infrastructure at the Empire State Building, and to locate and develop permanent facilities to replace those lost in 2001. This effort included the relocation of stations to temporary facilities in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the design and construction of analog and digital facilities at the Empire State Building to meet ongoing broadcast needs, and investigation of the design and construction of the possibility of facilities on top of One World Trade Center (the Freedom Tower). In addition, the MTVA is investigating methods to further enhance the over-the-air digital signal that currently originates from the Empire State Building facility.
Previously Shapiro served four years as Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit local development corporation that promotes economic growth across New York City's five boroughs. It is the City's official Economic development corporation, charged with using the City's assets to drive growth, create jobs, and...
http://www.nycedc.com/, covering the Media and Telecommunications sectors. He was responsible for attracting investment and expansion of domestic and international companies to NYC, and to serve as an advocate for companies and industries in their dealings with city government.
Mr. Shapiro joined the EDC with experience stretching across both electronic media and telecommunications services and technology, including Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
, ABC Television Network
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and the Internet.
At Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America , based in New York, is the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. It is the umbrella company under which all Sony companies operate in the United States....
he served as Vice President of Broadband Services, responsible for new business opportunities based on emerging technologies and standards, with particular focus on the strategic integration of Sony’s US e-business initiatives.
Shapiro was COO at Gist Communicationshttp://www.gist.com, then the leading independent online provider of TV listings and editorial, from 1999 to 2001. He helped redirect the company’s efforts to developing on-screen interactive applications for a variety of set-top platforms. Shapiro joined Gist from ABC Television where, as Vice President, Broadcast Technology, he was responsible for developing strategic technical initiatives and the network’s transition to digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
broadcast technology.
Mr. Shapiro came to ABC after serving as Assistant Bureau Chief for Technology Policy in the Mass Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
. While at the FCC, Mr. Shapiro led a team of engineers, economists and lawyers in drafting Rulemakings and Orders for the introduction of digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
to the US broadcast market. He also acted as policy advisor to the Chairman on technological developments and trends in digital media, as well as topics related to the convergence of communications technologies.
Prior to joining the FCC, Mr. Shapiro was Director of New Business Development with Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America , based in New York, is the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. It is the umbrella company under which all Sony companies operate in the United States....
responsible for identifying new opportunities for Sony’s Television Business Group in the emerging digital era.
Prior to entering the broadcast television business, he was a microelectronics process development engineer for a variety of firms in the Boston area.
A materials science
Materials science
Materials science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This scientific field investigates the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. It incorporates...
engineering graduate of Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, Mr. Shapiro has also received an SM
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in engineering from MIT and an SM in management from the MIT Sloan School of Management
MIT Sloan School of Management
The MIT Sloan School of Management is the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
as a Leaders for Manufacturing Fellow. Both of these degrees from MIT were earned in 1991. http://alum.mit.edu
Shapiro was born to Florence and Seymour Shapiro
Seymour Shapiro
Seymour Lester Shapiro was an organic chemist best known for his pioneering work on a class of drugs used to treat symptoms of adult-onset diabetes...
in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York in 1956.
Shapiro has a long standing interest in design. He studied furniture design under Tage Frid
Tage Frid
-Further reading:* Hank Gilpin, "Professor Frid," Fine Woodworking magazine 146 , pp. 80-85.* John Kelsey, "Tage Frid: A Talk with the Old Master," Fine Woodworking magazine 52 , pp. 66-67....
and Hank Gilpin at the Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
for two semesters and attended Harvard University's Graduate School of Design in the academic year 1982 - 83. He currently practices woodworking at the 3rd Ward
3rd Ward Brooklyn
3rd Ward is a member-based design center for creative professionals in the Brooklyn, NY neighborhood of Williamsburg. It was designed to fit the needs of multidisciplinary artists, designers & entrepreneurs...
, an artist's collective in Brooklyn. NY