September 24, 2025
Samuel Corum/Sipa USA
New Jersey PBS says it will cease operations on June 30 because it has been unable to extend its contract with the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority, citing 'significant' funding cuts. The Public Broadcasting Service headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, is pictured above.
New Jersey's sole public television network will cease operations next summer due to "very significant" funding cuts at the local and federal levels, the company said Tuesday.
New Jersey PBS said its parent company, WNET Group, was unsuccessful in reaching a contract extension agreement with New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority. WNET, which also runs NJ Spotlight News, will continue to air regular NJ PBS programming until the current deal expires June 30.
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At that point, WNET will still air its daily New Jersey newscast on its THIRTEEN channel in New York, which reaches households in North and Central New Jersey, and on its digital platforms. WNET said it "looks forward to collaborating with New Jersey-based institutions interested in operating a public television network."
In February, State Treasurer Liz Muoio issued a Request For Proposals for a new programming and services agreement to run the network beginning July 1. WNET's subsidiary Public Media New Jersey, which runs NJ PBS, was the only bidder and negotiations on a deal began in May, said Darryl Isherwood, a spokesperson for the treasury department.
On Tuesday, the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority was informed that Public Media New Jersey was withdrawing from negotiations, and because it was the only bidder, negotiations on the RFP are now closed, Isherwood said.
"The NJPBA is working on contingency plans to continue operations after July 1st and will engage with the next gubernatorial administration on the issue," Isherwood said. Gov. Phil Murphy's term expires early next year.
Representatives from WNET and NJ PBS did not respond to messages seeking additional comment.
New Jersey PBS was formed in 2011 after Gov. Chris Christie and state lawmakers ended public funding for the state-run media company, then known as New Jersey Network. WNET entered into an agreement with New Jersey to operate the network and rebranded it as NJ PBS.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration rescinded $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. CPB provides about $1.5 million to NJ PBS — 15% of its total budget, Politico New Jersey reported. Additionally, the most recent state budget, signed in June by Murphy, reduced state funding to NJ PBS from $1 million to $250,000. The cuts forced New Jersey PBS to lay off 11 of its 38 workers last month, Current reported.
NJ PBS, headquartered in Newark, airs local and national programming, emergency broadcast services, children's programming and community and educational initiatives including the New York Emmy-Award-winning series "Table For All with Buki Elegbede" throughout New Jersey's 21 counties.
In 2024, NJ PBS had 26.8 million viewers and more than 577,000 people accessed its free classroom resources, according to the network's most recent Local Content and Service Report in the Community.
