Ari Shapiro will step down as co-host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” on September 26.
Shapiro joined NPR in 2001 and held roles as International Correspondent based in London, White House Correspondent, and Justice Correspondent prior to joining All Things Considered in 2015.
In a memo to staffers, NPR Senior Vice President/Editor in Chief and acting Chief Content Officer Edith Chapin said, “Ari Shapiro, co-host of All Things Considered and Consider This, has decided to step away from the host chair and daily news coverage at NPR.
This fall, Ari will mark 10 years as an ATC host, a truly remarkable achievement. Several months ago, Ari came to us to say that the milestone was an amazing capstone to his career here, and it felt like the right time for him to try something new.
During his time at ATC, he conducted hundreds of unforgettable interviews, anchored hours and hours of live special coverage, and reported from around the world. He even found time to write a best-selling memoir, sing on stage at some of the country’s iconic venues, and host a season of The Mole on Netflix.
Ari began his career at NPR as an intern for Nina Totenberg. He went on to be an International Correspondent, a White House Correspondent and a Justice Correspondent. His journey became a marquee example of the value and possibility of NPR’s internship program, and an inspiration to countless interns who have since sought a chance to get their start here.
Ari has won a shelf full of awards honoring his journalism, including three national Edward R. Murrow awards and the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists’ Journalist of the Year in 2023 (just to name a few).
In the newsroom, Ari has been a thoughtful and generous colleague. He is quick with a kind word or a compliment. He has also always been both gracious and firm in advocating for his team if something wasn’t going as well as it could. If you’ve ever been to station visits or public events with Ari, it is always a joy to see how listeners embrace and admire him. He is ever willing to talk with a local reporter or snap a photo with a fan.
I personally loved working with Ari during his assignment in London. He was eager to go anywhere and everywhere. He reported on the drama that led to Brexit, but also went to Ukraine and Israel and Scotland where he found a distillery cat that briefly became world famous. I also especially enjoyed the “Play it Forward” series, born of Ari’s host duties on Thanksgiving afternoons, where he was able to spin his own deep appreciation of music into a series of love letters from one artist to the next.
Ari will be leaving NPR at the end of September. His final show will be September 26, and we’ll toast him in the newsroom after the show wraps. We’re excited to see what Ari does next as he embarks on creating more of his own work. We’ve also discussed keeping the door open for any opportunities to work together on specific projects in the future. We will follow up soon, likely next week, with more about our next steps to fill the ATC host chair after Ari leaves. With great appreciation for Ari and his work,”
Shapiro added, “Working at NPR has been a wild privilege. Since I became an ATC host, I’ve kept the original mission statement from founder Bill Siemering taped in view of my desk. I especially love the part that says we “will encourage a sense of active constructive participation rather than apathetic helplessness.” Our ability to evolve and change without sacrificing that unshakable mission of public service is NPR’s greatest strength.
As I start the next chapter of my own professional evolution, I can’t imagine an organization more uniquely prepared to deliver the kind of illumination, understanding, and joy that I have treasured my entire life — and will continue to depend on as a listener. This has been the second-longest relationship of my adult life (after my marriage), and I am both deeply grateful and exceptionally proud to have become the journalist — and the person — I am because of NPR.
Thank you for everything you’ve given me over the last 25 years, and thank you in advance for the important work ahead.”
Shapiro wrote more about his exit on his blog.
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com