Musings on the future of NJN

By Art Gallagher

That NJN will survive is good for New Jersey, and not just because I’ve been a guest on one of the station’s best shows.

NJN has been given a reprieve from going dark on January 1 because people like it.   Tens of thousands of people like, “not hundreds of thousands,” as News Director Michael Aron told Politickernj.  

What those tens of thousands of people like, and what is important to New Jersey, is the station’s news coverage. In particular its coverage of state government and politics.  NJN was not given a reprieve because of reruns from the 60’s and 70’s of Christmas with the King Family or Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air.   If only tens of thousands of people like the station’s news coverage, how many are tuning in for 3 Steps to Piano Success?

Legislation that Governor Christie recently approved empowers the NJ Public Broadcasting Authority to work to transfer NJN from a government entity to the control of a non-profit organization or an existing public broadcasting entity.

Why not a for profit Jersey-centric commercial station with Jersey news and programing?   If HBO (The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire) and MTV (Jersey Shore) can get millions of viewers with Jersey-centric programing, a real Jersey TV station should be able to get the hundreds of thousands that Aron aspires to have.

I realize that that creates red tape and regulatory hurdles with the FCC, but it should be doable. 

Aron tells me the annual barebones budget for NJN is about $20 million, which includes “in-kind” contributions from the State for rent and other overhead items.   A good Jersey TV station should be able to sell a lot more that $20 million in advertising.  Expand the “sponsorships” to more that PSEG and the NJEA.

If we can sell advertising on our school busses, we ought to be able to sell advertising on our TV station.

Let’s find a way to make it happen and have more Jersey news, entertainment and sports.

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NJN will remain on the air

Governor Chris Christie told the Star Ledger that NJN, New Jersey public television and radio stations, will remain on the air after January 1st if legislation that allows negotiations with a private entity to take over the station is passed before the end of the year.   Senate President Steve Sweeney, (Reagan Democrat) has a bill before the legislature that would create a bi-partisan commission to manage the transfer to a private entity.  Senator Joe Kyrillos has proposed a bill that would empower the State Treasurer to manage the transfer.

State funding for the network is scheduled to expire on December 31. Layoff notices went out to the station’s 130 employees last month.

Michael Aron, the station’s senior political correspondent, told MMM that the network’s annual budget is roughly $20 million, including $7 million in in-kind contributions from the State for rent on its facilities and other fixed assets. The cash contribution from the State coffers was $4 million in 2010.

Christie’s original plan under the current state budget was for NJN’s licenses to be sold or transfered to a private entity.  Officials now want the state to retain ownership of the license and enter into a management agreement with a consortium of broadcasters to provide content, according to the Star Ledger report.

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The Reviews Are In!

My family and friends think my appearance on NJN’s Reporters Roundtable with Michael Aron was wonderful.

My brother emailed me that his wife said I looked good.  I responded, “No wonder you love her, she is very generous!”  “Yes, she is,” was his reply.

The final broadcast of the first “Bloggers Roundtable” featuring yours truly, Murray Sabrin, and BlueJersey’s Jay Lassiter and Jeff Gardner is at 10AM this morning.  NJN is channel 23 on Comcast in Monmouth County.  Check your local listings if you have a different TV provider.

If you miss the broadcast you can view the video here.

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NJN’S “BLOGGER’S” ROUNDTABLE WITH MICHAEL ARON

By Art Gallagher

I was privileged to join Murray Sabrin along with BlueJersey’s Jay Lassiter and Jeff Gardner as panelists on Michael Aron’s Reporters Roundtable on NJN.

The video is just under 27 minutes long.  The show will be broadcast on television Friday evening at 7PM and Sunday at 10am.

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Bloggers Featured on NJN

On the left, Jay Lassiter and Jeff Gardner of BlueJersey.com. Michael Aron of NJN, seated center. On the right, Art Gallagher and Murray Sabrin of MurraySabrin.com

NJN’s Reporters Roundtable will be a bloggers roundtable this week.

I was privileged to join BlueJersey’s Jay Lassiter and Jeff Gardner, along with Murray Sabrin for the taping on Michael Aron’s weekly show this afternoon at NJN’s studio in Trenton.

The half hour show will air Friday evening at 7PM and Sunday morning at 10AM and be posted on NJN’s website on Monday the 29th.

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