NJ College Is Taking Over State's Public TV Stations: What To Know

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Public television in New Jersey has just scored a big win, Garden State officials announced Wednesday.

Montclair State University has been selected as the new programming and management operator of New Jersey's four FCC-licensed public television stations, the Department of the Treasury said.

The announcement follows months of uncertainty about the future of NJ PBS, New Jersey’s statewide public media network – largely due to budget cuts.

>> READ MORE: NJ PBS Says It Will Shut Down After Losing Federal, State Funding

According to the Treasury Department, the five-year contract between the New Jersey Public Broadcasting and the university has been submitted to the state Legislature, which has 15 days to review the agreement.

If all goes well, the university will manage NJ PBS beginning July 1.

Montclair State will be responsible for programming the stations. It will have to provide at least six hours of “New Jersey-centric programming” every week, including a weekday nightly newscast, public affairs programming, live broadcasts of the governor’s State of the State address, the governor’s budget message, and live coverage of New Jersey elections.

In addition to government coverage, Montclair State plans to produce sports coverage, including a formal partnership with the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

The university has committed to a code of journalism ethics, an independent ethics committee with external appointments, and a community advisory board. An additional layer of accountability comes with the university being subject to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, state officials said.

More than 20 full-time employees will initially operate NJ PBS, including three reporters and a production team of 11. Students will also participate through internships and supervised experiential learning opportunities.

Employment opportunities with NJ PBS will be posted on Montclair State University’s website.

Montclair State University brought a lot to the table in their bid, the Treasury Department said:

“Montclair’s proposal leverages existing university assets to create an operational budget that recognizes the current fiscal environment for public media. This includes $1.2 million annually of in-kind contributions from the university, including studio access, engineering expertise, IT infrastructure, human resources, finance, legal, and facilities management. It also includes teaching and internship opportunities for students, helping to train future media professionals while also infusing a dynamic perspective into station programming. The station will be housed in Montclair’s College of Communication and Media, one of the nation’s leading academic hubs for media education and innovation. The college has a world-class production facility, complete with professional broadcast studios and film stages, multiple control rooms, a multimedia newsroom, and engineering infrastructure built for network-level production. Faculty and staff bring extensive professional experience in the New Jersey and national media landscapes, and the college has been nationally recognized for its work while preparing the next generation of New Jersey media professionals.”

The tentative deal got a big thumbs-up from Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

“Public broadcasting is a vital public service that ensures New Jersey families have access to trusted news, educational programming, and information about their communities,” Sherrill said.

“At a time when local journalism faces growing challenges, today's action keeps this essential service alive in New Jersey,” the governor added.

State Treasurer Aaron Binder said public broadcasting is a “critical pillar” for an informed populace.

“Given the ever-evolving nature of modern media, and recent devasting funding cuts at the federal level, protecting and supporting public broadcasting has never been more important,” Binder said.

• Related: What News Readers Want: NJ Study Examines Underserved Communities

FUNDING CUTS TO PUBLIC TELEVISION

The WNET Group – which has stewarded NJ PBS since 2011 – announced that it will not be signing a new contract with the state last year, pointing to a one-two punch of federal and state budget cuts. The current deal expires on June 30.

Last year, the Trump administration announced that it was slashing federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which finances local broadcasting stations throughout the United States. Nearly $1.5 million – or about 15 percent – of the NJ PBS operating budget comes from the privately run nonprofit, Politico previously reported.

Meanwhile, NJ PBS saw a $750,000 cut in funding as part of the last state budget that was signed by former Gov. Phil Murphy last summer, going from $1 million to $250,000, NorthJersey.com reported. Read More: NJ Governor Signs Record-Busting State Budget Into Law

The news of NJ PBS’ potential shutdown sparked criticism from Garden State lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

“The closure of NJ PBS is a loss for all of us who live here,” U.S. Sen. Cory Booker commented on social media.

“Their programming benefits all New Jerseyans young and old,” the Democratic senator said.

New Jersey Assemblywoman Aura Dunn – a former employee at Sesame Workshop – said the loss of public television in the state will hinder local families’ access to free educational programming and community-focused news.

New Jersey is one of 36 states that directly funds public broadcasting through its budget, she said.

“The potential loss of NJ PBS is about more than a TV station, it’s about access to programs that strengthen New Jersey families and serve the interests of the public,” charged Dunn, a Republican from the 25th district.

The assemblywoman said the cuts to PBS feel “personal” because of her years lobbying for programs such as “Sesame Street” before Congress and the White House. She cited the HBO “takeover” of the beloved children’s program as an example.

“Currently, if parents of small children want to watch the latest episodes of Sesame Street, they have to pay for a premium channel or streaming service, which is especially financially burdensome for families living in high-cost New Jersey,” Dunn said.

“Sesame Street was something that was safe for all kids and reached everyone no matter their income,” the assemblywoman added. “The further public television is forced to shift away from its original mission, the less families will have access to programs that truly make a difference.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.