Layoff Notices Given to State Workers
November 16, 2010 3 Comments
By Zachary Fink
Layoff notices were delivered to all staff at NJN Public Television today heightening months of speculation about the network’s future. The form letter states, “For reasons of economy, the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority (PBA) will complete a layoff effective January 1, 2011.” Governor Christie and many lawmakers have said they would like to see NJN make a successful transition from a state agency however no viable plan to make that happen has been made public. Staff in other state agencies, including the Department of Children and Families, Corrections and the Motor Vehicle Commission also received layoff notices. The Motor Vehicle Commission received their notices last week, as part of a budget agreement reached earlier this year to layoff 1200 state workers.
I could not be more appalled or upset by the ill-conceived decision of the Christie administration to close NJN and lay off all of its dedicated workers. A message needs to be sent to Trenton in the strongest of terms that this is so very wrong.
Actually, government has NO business in running ANY kind of media enterprise.
why is the govt in the broadcasting business? NJN , NPR arent simply luxuries we cant afford, theyre a public- financed competition to local private broadcasters. 80%+ of nj residents have cable or satellite tv and internet access from p.c.s, cellphones and public libraries. We dont live in the eight tv channels world that we did when NJN started. NYC dumped Channel 31 a few yrs back, and most of its more popular shows wound up on PBS or cable stations. We’re not behind an iron curtain. Let local stations compete for NJ viewers and advertisers if they want them. I’m certain they’d flock to any local news that covered us instead of Bloomberg’s blathering.