New Jersey’s PBS station will be shut down next year following massive funding cuts from President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
WNET, its New York City-based parent company, said it would no longer operate NJ PBS when their agreement ends on June 30, 2026. When that time comes, New Jersey will be left without its own public television station unless it can secure a new nonprofit funding source.
Employees were informed of the decision on Tuesday.
WNET, which took over operations in 2011 after then-Gov. Chris Christie eliminated state funding, said that once the current contract comes to an end, it will continue to produce New Jersey’s nightly newscast, “NJ Spotlight News.” That will air on New York’s PBS station, THIRTEEN, which is available in many New Jersey homes.
“WNET 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,” the company said in a statement.
PBS and NPR were among the targets when Congress voted in July to eliminate $1.1 billion in federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the national nonprofit that provided revenue to more than 1,500 public TV and radio stations. The move led to multiple high-profile resignations across the country.
State legislators also slashed funding for NJ PBS from $1 million to $250,000 during budget talks earlier this year, resulting in layoffs, according to NorthJersey.com.
“The closure of New Jersey PBS is a loss for all of us who live here,” Sen. Corey Booker said in a statement on social media. “Their programming benefits all New Jerseyans young and old. I’ll continue to stand up to the attacks on public broadcasting and support local networks in Jersey and across the country.”
NJ PBS is the successor of the New Jersey Network, which launched in 1971 after the state legislature created the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority in 1968.
