In a development that has sent ripples through New Jersey’s media and civic landscape, NJ PBS, the state’s only public television network, announced that it will cease operations at the end of June 2026. The decision, made public by The WNET Group on September 24, 2025, comes in the wake of severe state and federal budget cuts, and has already prompted a wave of resignations from the network’s board of trustees—including Chair Scott Kobler, Vice-Chair Liz Thomas, Thomas A. Bracken, and Richard “Dick” Pechter.
According to NJBIZ, the nonprofit WNET Group, which has served as NJ PBS’s parent company since 2011, cited a slew of funding reductions as the driving force behind the closure. The most recent New Jersey state budget slashed support for NJ PBS by 75%, leaving the station with just $250,000 in state funding. On top of that, federal cuts have been equally punishing: the Corporation for Public Broadcasting lost $1.1 million as part of a broader Congressional measure that clawed back over $1 billion in public media funding. The impact has been so profound that the Corporation itself announced on August 1 that it was beginning to wind down its operations.
The fallout from these financial setbacks was swift. On September 29, 2025, NJ PBS confirmed that several board members, including Kobler, Thomas, Bracken, and Pechter, had stepped down from their posts. Many of these individuals have been deeply involved with New Jersey public media for much of their careers. Debra Falk, a spokeswoman for NJ PBS, acknowledged the departures, stating, “We are grateful to all for their leadership and service and look forward to working with our current board members to plan for the sunsetting of the network next year.”
Neal Shapiro, President and CEO of WNET and a member of the NJ PBS board, echoed that gratitude. “We thank all of our Trustees for their service and insight. NJ PBS would not have become the robust provider of New Jersey news and programming without their help,” Shapiro said. He also emphasized WNET’s ongoing commitment to the state, noting, “Some of those leaving us have shared their intention to work towards paving a path for the state’s next public broadcast operator. We wish them the best and WNET remains committed to assisting any new entity relaunching a Garden State public television network in whatever way we can.”
For many, the announcement marks the end of an era. NJ PBS was launched in 2011, stepping in at a time when New Jersey’s public media was in crisis. The network was rebranded from WNET 14 years ago, and since then, its board has played a crucial role in shaping its direction and ensuring its survival through turbulent times. The station’s flagship program, NJ Spotlight News, has been widely praised for its in-depth reporting on issues affecting New Jersey residents.
Scott Kobler, who has served as chair of the board, expressed both pride and frustration in his statements following the announcement. “WNET has served the State of New Jersey well,” Kobler said, according to reporting by the New Jersey Globe. “They assumed operations of New Jersey’s public media network in its time of need in 2011. The work of the reporters on NJ Spotlight News, on the air and online, continues to be exemplary and fills a huge void. I could not have been prouder to be a part of it.” Yet Kobler did not shy away from criticism, adding, “I wish the State of New Jersey had responded in a more cooperative fashion when it came to a renewal.”
Kobler’s resignation, as he explained in a September 24 op-ed, was motivated by a desire to allow WNET to manage the final phase of NJ PBS’s operations more directly. “I’m stepping aside as Chair to allow WNET to more directly manage the end of the NJ PBS term and look forward to doing my part to assist the next iteration of public media in New Jersey,” he wrote. This sentiment was shared by other departing trustees, several of whom have signaled their intention to help lay the groundwork for whatever public broadcasting entity might rise to fill the void left by NJ PBS’s departure.
Despite the impending shutdown, WNET has pledged to continue providing at least some New Jersey-focused programming. After NJ PBS officially goes dark in June 2026, WNET will continue to air a half-hour New Jersey weeknight newscast on its THIRTEEN channel and across digital platforms. The program will also be made available to other outlets interested in airing or streaming it, ensuring that, for now, New Jersey residents will not be left entirely without local public news coverage.
The news has elicited strong reactions from leaders and media advocates across the state, many of whom stress the vital role that public television plays in keeping citizens informed and engaged. The closure of NJ PBS raises pressing questions about the future of local journalism and civic discourse in New Jersey. With commercial broadcasters often focused on broader regional or national stories, public television has long served as a unique platform for in-depth reporting on state and community issues that might otherwise go uncovered.
WNET’s Shapiro has made it clear that the organization remains open to collaborating with any entity that might seek to relaunch a public television network in New Jersey. “WNET remains committed to assisting any new entity relaunching a Garden State public television network in whatever way we can,” he reiterated. This willingness to support a successor has sparked some hope that, despite the current setbacks, public broadcasting in New Jersey may yet find a way to reinvent itself.
The broader context, however, is sobering. The funding cuts that led to NJ PBS’s demise are part of a national trend, with public media organizations across the country facing reduced budgets and increasing uncertainty. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s own wind-down, triggered by Congressional budget measures, highlights the precarious position of publicly funded media in the United States.
For now, as NJ PBS prepares for its final broadcast and its board undergoes a period of transition, the future of public television in New Jersey hangs in the balance. The coming months will likely see renewed debate over how best to support and sustain local journalism in the Garden State—and who, if anyone, will step forward to fill the gap left by NJ PBS’s departure. As the network’s supporters and critics alike look ahead, one thing is certain: the story of public broadcasting in New Jersey is far from over.