NJTV to Debut in New Jersey at Midnight on June 30

Former statewide network NJN becomes NJTV with new programming and a new look

NEW YORK, June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Public Media NJ, Inc. (PMNJ), a newly formed non-profit subsidiary of WNET, parent company of award-winning public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21, will begin providing programming and services to a newly-named public television network on July 1 under an agreement with the state of New Jersey.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110324/DC71112LOGO)  

NJTV, formerly New Jersey Network (NJN) will begin broadcasting a revamped lineup of local arts & culture and news & public affairs programming at midnight on June 30. The current nightly program NJN News will initially be replaced by NJ Today Summer Edition, airing in the same time slots. In the fall, NJ Today will premiere. The program will cover news across the state with a concentration on government and public policy, using taped stories and in-depth interviews.

The change comes after the New Jersey Treasurer issued a request for proposals to find alternative operating models for the state's only public television network in light of increasing budget pressures.  WNET submitted a proposal to the state on behalf of PMNJ, which was selected by the Treasurer in May, endorsed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in early June, and approved by the New Jersey legislature in late June.  Under the agreement, PMNJ will provide programming and services for a five-year period. The broadcast license will continue to be maintained by the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority.

"We're excited about the launch of NJTV and what it will mean for New Jersey" said Neal Shapiro, Chairman of the Board of PMNJ and President and CEO of WNET. "We will continue a five-day-a-week news broadcast, NJ Today, which will run in the same time slots as NJN News. We'll broadcast a new programming schedule that will include popular PBS shows, including Charlie Rose and an expanded, uninterrupted "kids' block" Monday through Friday. WNET's world class Education Department will be working to provide New Jersey teachers with video clips and lesson plans pegged to the state's teaching standards. WNET is licensed to Newark, NJ and has been serving the people of the New York Metropolitan Area for nearly 50 years.  We're pleased to have been chosen to run NJTV and to serve all the people and communities of New Jersey."

NJTV has committed to airing 20 hours per week of New Jersey-centric programming and will work with partners such as the Caucus Educational Corporation and others to create original content.

WNET, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2012, produces such award-winning PBS programming as Great Performances, Nature and American Masters and reaches an audience of five million viewers per month through THIRTEEN and WLIW21.

The newly formed PMNJ will have a New Jersey-based Board of Trustees and will maintain offices in New Jersey that will house approximately 20 employees focused on editorial, community outreach, production, fundraising and underwriting functions. The back office functions of NJTV, including finance, communications, and legal, will be based in WNET's offices in Manhattan.

About WNET New York Public Media

WNET is America's flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces such acclaimed PBS series as Great Performances, American Masters, Nature, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online.  Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Noah Comprende and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through SundayArts, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

SOURCE WNET New York Public Media