NJN Final Broadcast

[jvn]

Last night ended 40 Years of NJN Television With the Final Newscast. RIP Good Luck to the new operation.

 

[Bill_W]

Interesting how WNET is only putting NJTV on the former NJN1. NJN2 went off the air.

 

[Pirate_Jim]

According to the FAQ page on NJTV's website, it says NJN2 was "phased out" to streamline operations and be more budget-conscious ..

 

[Danfm]

I guess WNET could put a simulcast of WLIW on the former NJN 2 to get it more cable carriage in Central NJ.

 

[PhoenixPark]

Seems that they also ditched the reading for the blind on their NJN3 channel. Having lived with the vagaries of the FCC for a lifetime, I would be amused and/or sincerely interested to hear how NJ, again, was screwed out of significant over-the-air TV coverage.

Friendly Candy Company proceedings of a license transfer or change of ownership of this nature typically can be made to drag on for aeons. In all of the political manure that clouded this transaction, nobody said "boo" (or is that 'boo-sh*t') about FCC involvement in this little debacle that has compromised the State of NJ's over-the-air presence and given a lot of dedicated professionals the gate.

Ain't it ever the 21st century!

 

[TheBigA]

Friendly Candy Company proceedings of a license transfer or change of ownership of this nature typically can be made to drag on for aeons. In all of the political manure that clouded this transaction, nobody said "boo" (or is that 'boo-sh*t') about FCC involvement in this little debacle that has compromised the State of NJ's over-the-air presence and given a lot of dedicated professionals the gate.

I think it's a statement on the ineffectiveness of NJN that there was no large outcry or protest over its demise. I think if there was, the FCC would have looked at it. But one thing about this deal is the state retains the four licenses. So the channels still belong to NJ. Just run by NY & PA. Once again, a statement on the residents, who care more about holding the line on property taxes than having NJ-origination of TV. But the point is the government isn't going to get involved if the residents don't object, and their own state government thinks it's a good idea.

 

[MickeyD]

Seems that they also ditched the reading for the blind on their NJN3 channel. Having lived with the vagaries of the FCC for a lifetime, I would be amused and/or sincerely interested to hear how NJ, again, was screwed out of significant over-the-air TV coverage.

Friendly Candy Company proceedings of a license transfer or change of ownership of this nature typically can be made to drag on for aeons. In all of the political manure that clouded this transaction, nobody said "boo" (or is that 'boo-sh*t') about FCC involvement in this little debacle that has compromised the State of NJ's over-the-air presence and given a lot of dedicated professionals the gate.

Ain't it ever the 21st century!

What debacle? People in NJ can't afford a service that offered nothing unique it was no more than another entitlement.

 

[TheBigA]

What debacle? People in NJ can't afford a service that offered nothing unique it was no more than another entitlement.

The people in NJ can afford ANYTHING they want. The amount of money the state collects in income, sales, and gambling taxes SHOULD be enough to pay for an incredible service that is focused entirely around NJ and its residents. But unfortunately that money is squandered on lots of less important things, so New Jersey has to rely on its neighbors to find out what's going on within its own borders. It's like hiring the CBC to cover the US Presidential election for American TV, saying the networks can't afford it. Media is not an entitlement...it's a necessity. Once again, New Jersey has been raped and plundered.

 

[imhomerjay]

A wee bit melodramatic.

Perhaps the lack of outcry is an indication they can afford what they want, but in this day and age, NJN didn't happen to be it? That they had to make some choices and spend money elsewhere in tough times?

 

[TheBigA]

Perhaps the lack of outcry is an indication they can afford what they want, but in this day and age, NJN didn't happen to be it? That they had to make some choices and spend money elsewhere in tough times?

You make it sound like the people played an active and knowing role in the process.

 

[MickeyD]

What debacle? People in NJ can't afford a service that offered nothing unique it was no more than another entitlement.

The people in NJ can afford ANYTHING they want. The amount of money the state collects in income, sales, and gambling taxes SHOULD be enough to pay for an incredible service that is focused entirely around NJ and its residents. But unfortunately that money is squandered on lots of less important things, so New Jersey has to rely on its neighbors to find out what's going on within its own borders. It's like hiring the CBC to cover the US Presidential election for American TV, saying the networks can't afford it. Media is not an entitlement...it's a necessity. Once again, New Jersey has been raped and plundered.

You are correct by the previous administrations. The state unions have no bearing on sucking us dry I suppose. News 12 has what NJN can only dream of and you pay for both. BYE-BYE NJN! Do you even live in NJ?

 

[TheBigA]

Others have pointed out that a large part of the state doesn't receive News 12.

I hope you enjoy NJ news as provided by out of staters. They obviously know more than you do.

 

[MickeyD]

Others have pointed out that a large part of the state doesn't receive News 12.

I hope you enjoy NJ news as provided by out of staters. They obviously know more than you do.

Well you don't have to pay for it there Big A.

We can match experience and credentials offline if you would like.

 

[TheBigA]

Let's be clear: I'm not defending NJN. Their management completely screwed up and failed to do what the NJPBA was set up to do. One big mistake was starting all those radio stations. That took money away from TV. I also blame the NJN Foundation for not taking a bigger hand in things. Most states would have turned over the operation to the Foundation. But it was ill equipped to run the stations. Sp you have mismanagement at NJN, coupled with inability of the Foundation to step in and take charge.

But you don't solve mismanagement by blowing the whole thing up. The problem the NJPBA was set up to solve was the lack of real coverage of NJ news and information. That problem still exists. The only thing that has changed is the state has a few million in its coffers to waste on something else. Which they'll do. In the meantime, residents in one of the most densely populated states, and one of the richest states, must depend on neighboring states to tell them what the weather is. Embarrassing. NJ residents should be ashamed of themselves.

Other states have found ways to take the same amount of money and turn it into a system that residents depend on. On the South Carolina board, they're asking if that state would follow NJ. The general feeling is no, because the Foundation pays a big part of the bill, and the stations provide a valuable service to the state and local schools. Both of those things were missing in NJ. It should not have come to this. There was a time when Newark was the center of broadcasting on the east coast, with WJZ and WOR located there. Then both stations were allowed to move to NYC. Same with Z-100. It used to be in NJ. Then it moved to NYC. WPAT too. One by one, all of NJ's great broadcasting assets have been allowed to leave the state. Now, even the PBS stations are gone. Even WBGO, which could have bought NJN's radio stations, is moving it's antenna to NYC. This is not something to celebrate.

 

[pab]

The one good thing about all this is that the State retained the licenses and the next Governor and Assembly might be able to reverse this.

 

[TheBigA]

The one good thing about all this is that the State retained the licenses and the next Governor and Assembly might be able to reverse this.

I really doubt it. To reverse it without penalties, they'd have to prove that WNET is not fulfilling the terms of the deal.

 

[MickeyD]

Let's be clear: I'm not defending NJN. Their management completely screwed up and failed to do what the NJPBA was set up to do. One big mistake was starting all those radio stations. That took money away from TV. I also blame the NJN Foundation for not taking a bigger hand in things. Most states would have turned over the operation to the Foundation. But it was ill equipped to run the stations. Sp you have mismanagement at NJN, coupled with inability of the Foundation to step in and take charge.

But you don't solve mismanagement by blowing the whole thing up. The problem the NJPBA was set up to solve was the lack of real coverage of NJ news and information. That problem still exists. The only thing that has changed is the state has a few million in its coffers to waste on something else. Which they'll do. In the meantime, residents in one of the most densely populated states, and one of the richest states, must depend on neighboring states to tell them what the weather is. Embarrassing. NJ residents should be ashamed of themselves.

Other states have found ways to take the same amount of money and turn it into a system that residents depend on. On the South Carolina board, they're asking if that state would follow NJ. The general feeling is no, because the Foundation pays a big part of the bill, and the stations provide a valuable service to the state and local schools. Both of those things were missing in NJ. It should not have come to this. There was a time when Newark was the center of broadcasting on the east coast, with WJZ and WOR located there. Then both stations were allowed to move to NYC. Same with Z-100. It used to be in NJ. Then it moved to NYC. WPAT too. One by one, all of NJ's great broadcasting assets have been allowed to leave the state. Now, even the PBS stations are gone. Even WBGO, which could have bought NJN's radio stations, is moving it's antenna to NYC. This is not something to celebrate.

NJ is not SC. NJ is a heavily unionized state and South Carolina is not. You can have many more programs when you aren't bound by outrageous salaries and benefit packages. Where is the outrage? I haven't heard or seen it. If you look at their new website it is virtually NJN.

I fail to see what difference moving either radio station to NYC afffects the programming. You can hear it in the old city of license and who really does public affiars programming today? Glad you brought up WBGO. WBGO was given a 500K grant to move their transmitter to NYC by the federal government.

In NJ it is a non-event.

 

[TheBigA]

I fail to see what difference moving either radio station to NYC afffects the programming. You can hear it in the old city of license and who really does public affiars programming today?

Fine. You want to save the state a lot of money? Sell Rutgers to University of Phoenix. And shut down the Sports & Exposition Authority. Why does my tax money subsidize horse racing?

 

[MickeyD]

The one good thing about all this is that the State retained the licenses and the next Governor and Assembly might be able to reverse this.

More like selling the bandwidth in the FCC's coming TV spectrum auctions.

 

[MickeyD]

Perhaps the lack of outcry is an indication they can afford what they want, but in this day and age, NJN didn't happen to be it? That they had to make some choices and spend money elsewhere in tough times?

You make it sound like the people played an active and knowing role in the process.

Okay, let me simplify it. NJN is gone and nobody cares.