NJ PBS, New Jersey's Public Television, Network May Shut Down in 2026

The New York Times has reported that NJ PBS, New Jersey’s public television network, may shut down in 2026 after its nonprofit operator and the state’s Public Broadcasting Authority failed to reach a contract agreement. The contract between NJ PBS's operator, the WNET Group, and the state’s Public Broadcasting Authority, expires on June 30, 2026.

Debra Falk, a spokeswoman for NJ PBS, shared, "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,"

New Jersey Governer Philip D. Murphy signed a spending plan this summer that cut funding for NJ PBS to $250,000, down from $1 million in the previous fiscal year.

BroadwayWorld previously reported that PBS approved a 21% cut to its current budget after Congress voted to eliminate roughly $500 million in federal support for public television and radio, a decision that resulted in the closure of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

PBS’s board also voted to reduce member-station dues by $35 million, acknowledging that local stations are under intense pressure to cover their own shortfalls. “Even with the dues reduction, adjusted payment schedule and efforts to raise funds for initial financial stabilization, we all face hard choices about the future,” PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger told station managers in an email.

Read the full story HERE.