Montclair State University has been selected as the operator of NJ PBS, New Jersey’s network of four state-owned public TV stations, ending a period of uncertainty about the broadcaster’s future in the wake of federal funding cuts.

New Jersey State Treasurer Aaron Binder and the university announced the five-year deal to make the university the programming and management operator of NJ PBS. The state legislature now has 15 days to review the contract between the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority and the university. Lawmakers have expressed strong support for NJ PBS to continue operations.

Montclair State was one of four bidders for the management contract, which follows months of uncertainty over NJ PBS’s future. The WNET Group, parent of WNET New York and WLIW Garden City, N.Y., had operated NJ PBS since 2011, but said last fall that it wouldn't renew its contract with the NJBPA, citing significant state and federal budget cuts.

WNET Group’s contract is set to expire June 30. That prompted fears NJ PBS might shutter at the end of this month.

“Public broadcasting is a vital public service that ensures New Jersey families have access to trusted news, educational programming, and information about their communities,” said New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat. “At a time when local journalism faces growing challenges, today’s action keeps this essential service alive in New Jersey.”

The five-year agreement includes two five-year extensions and makes Montclair State responsible for programming the network and providing at least six hours per week of New Jersey-centric programming, including a nightly newscast on weeknights and other public-affairs programming; live broadcasts of the governor's State of the State Address and budget message; and New Jersey election coverage.

Public television has long held importance to government officials in New Jersey, who argue the state is underserved by commercial and public TV stations in nearby New York and Philadelphia. In 1968, the state established the NJPBA to launch and operate the four stations, known on-air as New Jersey Network (NJN) until former Gov. Chris Christie ended direct state involvement and inked the deal with WNET Group in 2011. The NJPBA still holds the station licenses.

“New Jersey’s public television stations exist to serve every resident of this state, and this selection reflects our commitment to ensuring that mission continues on a sustainable, long-term foundation,” said Rick Williams, NJBPA executive director. “Montclair State University brings broadcast-ready infrastructure, deep community ties, and a demonstrated commitment to New Jersey journalism. We look forward to working with the University and the Legislature as this transition moves forward.”

In announcing the deal, MSU said it plans to reimagine public media and expand the value public broadcasting can provide to New Jersey residents. As part of that effort, it said it plans to draw on the state’s 300-plus news organizations, its colleges and universities and its diverse communities to create and inform programming made stronger through collaboration and shared expertise.

In addition to a robust broadcast presence with daily newscast and discussion programming, NJ PBS said it will focus significant efforts on digital and social media content as well as in-person events and public engagement.

MSU’s proposal used existing university assets to create an operational budget that reflects the difficult financial climate for public media in the wake of the Trump Administration's push to end federal funding.

Montclair State has committed to providing $1.2 million annually of in-kind contributions, including studio access, engineering expertise, IT infrastructure, human resources, finance, legal, and facilities management. It also includes teaching and internship opportunities for students.

The station will be housed in MSU’s College of Communication and Media. The college has a 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.

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.

In addition, MSU said that the Center for Cooperative Media, housed within its College of Communication and Media, will help build the backbone of NJ PBS’s statewide journalism model.

The university said the center’s longstanding relationships with hundreds of New Jersey news organizations provide NJ PBS with an existing statewide journalism ecosystem to support collaborative reporting and community-informed storytelling across all regions of the state. Montclair’s operation of NJ PBS will also include content partnerships, including collaborative agreements with other New Jersey colleges and universities as well as civic, arts and news organizations, ensuring network content reflects the diversity and talents of New Jersey’s residents and communities.

MSU plans to produce a daily newscast and discussion program, a weekly public affairs roundtable, and sports coverage, including a formal partnership with the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

In a notable example of how government funding cuts, are putting severe financial strains on public media, the WNET Group has announced that it has been unable to reach an agreement with the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority to extend the management of NJ PBS, New Jersey’s public television network, beyond the expiration date of June 30, 2026.

Fourteen years ago, The WNET Group agreed to operate New Jersey’s public television network, then called New Jersey Network, after Republican Gov. Chris Christie and the legislature determined that the state should no longer be in the television business.

WNET Group cited significant funding cuts by the federal government and New Jersey state government as a prime reason for the impasse on the operating contract. In theory, NJ PBS could continue operating past June 30 if another operator is found or if the two parties shift their positions and can reach an agreement.

WNET Group said that it will continue to operate NJ PBS, its newsroom, and produce its nightly newscast, “NJ Spotlight News,” which will remain available on NJ PBS, New York PBS station WNET and digital platforms.

After the current contract ends, WNET Group said it will continue producing and airing the daily New Jersey newscast on WNET and its digital platforms.

WNET also said that it is “committed to supporting the state through this transition and looks forward to collaborating with New Jersey–based institutions interested in operating a public television network.”

“We have been proud to serve the state of New Jersey with content that inspires, educates and informs. And we are deeply grateful to the NJ PBS Board of Trustees, the state of New Jersey, the NJPBA and, most importantly, the members and viewers who have supported NJ PBS for so many years,” WNET said in a statement. “We remain a willing partner to collaborate, and we will continue to serve the New Jersey community on THIRTEEN and our digital platforms.”

The Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress has eliminated all federal funding, which will lead to the end of most operations at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting at the end of Sept. In addition, New Jersey has reduced funding from $1 million to $250,000.

Critics have warned that the cutback could lead to the closure of many public stations, particularly in rural areas.

WASHINGTON—New Jersey is the latest state to officially sign on to the AT&T FirstNet plan for first responder interoperable communications network. New Jersey brings the total up to six states that will participate in the network that is funded by FCC spectrum auction proceeds.

Read the full article on TVT’s sister publication B&C.