Gov. Chris Christie submitted legislation today designed to end the New Jersey's four decades of support for the public television network, NJN, by year's end. The Governor's plan calls for the
Treasurer to take inventory of the network's assets and find the best way to complete a sale or transfer.
Christie's 2011 budget passed in June cut NJN's direct state aid to $2 million
and called for the state's $11 million subsidy (for salaries and buildings) to end Jan. 1, 2011. To meet that goal, the state has started the notification process required by the collective bargaining
agreements and Civil Service Commission rules. Some 95 of the network's 129 employees are unionized. Dudley Burdge, spokesman for the Communications Workers of America, the union representing most of
NJN's staff, called the plan "completely unrealistic."
Created in 1969 by statute, NJN is one of the largest state public broadcasters in the country, operating five TV channels and
a radio network of seven frequencies.
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