Employees at NJN, New Jersey's public television network, are fighting Gov. Christie's proposal to privatize the network as of Jan. 1.
Workers argue that's not enough time to plan the transformation.
Christie has proposed cutting in half the network’s $4 million subsidy for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The state also contributes $2.4 million in employee benefits, $4.5 million in state facilities, parking and other costs to support the network.
Harold Blumenthal, NJN's interim executive director, told the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee April 20 that the network is planning its transformation into an independent nonprofit.
But Dudley Burdge, senior staff representative for Communications Workers of America Local 1032, which represents about 95 of NJN’s 129 employees, said employees fear the state is moving too quickly and with no concrete plans or vision for the new NJN.
“Will something called NJN exist? Yeah, probably,” Burdge said. “Will it have some kind of news program? Probably. But I think what our members feel is that it will be a shadow of its former self,” Burdge said.
Burdge said former governors Florio, Whitman and Corzine all previously proposed privatizing NJN, but ultimately decided not to.
“We’re fighting to maintain the organization and essentially New Jersey news, New Jersey broadcast news,” Burdge said.
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sumdumbschuck is indeed sumdumbschmuck.— richw38- First of all, sumdumschmuck's posting should be removed on the basis of implied swearing and just plain vulgarity. Comments on a website for a paper with this standing should be intelligent and clean. Kids look on these pages for current events assignments. Second of all, NJN speaks the truth with no spin, so generally, Republican polititions don't like public radio or public television because they speak the truth, whatever that happens to be. I have been a supporter of NJN and PBS and NPR all of my adult life for just that reason. Let me know what is going on, and I will develop my own opinions without those spin doctors on FOX or MSNBC. If more people did the same, NJN would not be having these problems. As for their union, it is more than a little obvious that they need one now, more than ever. Hopefully they can weather Hurricane Christie and stay the course after he goes back to his high paying legal practice. We will all be better off.— magister52
I agree with you magister. If more people would support NJN and public radio and TV through direct contributions, our tax money would not be needed to support them. So, I would encourage you to go out and start fund raising because the state of NJ and its taxpayers can't write that big check in this horrendous economic environment.- What a shock!! The unions actually giving up something to help the state they had a part in destroying!1— sawgrass
- sawgrass, why don't you give back some of your pay?— bobmc
- I do every year!!— sawgrass
- OH yeah and every week and in my opinion way to much!!— sawgrass
- Of course the government employees of NJN are against being privatized because it means they'll have to actually work to earn ratings like other broadcasters do. Instead of being continually funded by the government even if they run programming that nodody watches, they will now have to earn their funding by working to ensure they are putting on programs that people want to watch and advertisers will pay to sponsor. Privatizing will greatly improve the quality of the broadcasts and save taxpayers money.— Phillysub
- We have to privitize everything including Education. The state should not be in the television nor education business. Give school vouchers and close the public schools. I don't want to pay for other kids education if they are being taught far left HATE AMERICA, tax the wealthy propaganda.— BFlint
- Yea !! About time !! Another idiotic waste of taxpayer money comes to an end, can't be soon enough. This "network" is nothing more than a propaganda outlet for left wing cooks, environmentalist wackos, socialists, communists, and democrats. Maybe all the "employees" will have to find real jobs like everybody else, no union, no state pension, no free health care for life, no inflated taxpayer funded salary. Good riddance, don't let the door hit you on the way out.— Klaatu
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