Starting July 1, 2026, NJ PBS, the statewide public television network, will be run by Montclair State University and the College of Communication and Media.
Montclair State was notified of its selection, after which contract negotiations and a public announcement followed on June 3, 2026. The contract between Montclair State and the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority is for five years, with possibilities of two five-year extensions, pending government review.
Montclair State was selected out of four bidders competing for NJ PBS. College of Communication and Media (CCOM) Dean Keith Strudler shared that the process of bidding for the NJ PBS contract was extensive, involving months of preparation and negotiation.
“We’ve been working on this for a long time, probably months and months,” Strudler told The Montclarion. “It’s been a long time since it was announced that there’s going to be an open bid for a new operator for NJ PBS, [and] it’s been a long time that we’ve been working on it.”
The dean emphasized this project as a team effort and a significant accomplishment for the college. He highlighted the opportunities for students to work alongside professional journalists and media experts, enhancing their hands-on experience and Montclair State’s reputation and brand.
“I think it really fulfills our mission,” Strudler said. “Both to our discipline, which is helping sustain a vibrant media and journalism ecosystem and providing news and information and entertainment to folks in communities across the state.”
Another goal for the acquisition, Studler explained, is to set the standard for higher education institutions in New Jersey and the greater area.
“We’re [also] helping maintain professionalism in our discipline, in a time when public television is under some challenges,” Strudler said. “We are hoping to set a new model for how this can be done well.”
Strudler clarified that NJ PBS will remain a professional network, but students will have the chance to shadow, intern and contribute to content creation in various capacities.
“This is a professional network, they’re going to be run by professionals, it’s not a student network, and that’s important for everyone to realize,” Strudler said.
The network will also involve students from various majors, not just the College of Communication and Media, the dean explained.
“It really is across all majors — think about the things that happen in a television network,” Strudler prompted. “There’s publicity, promotions, that includes your PR, your advertising students, your social media students. There’s business operations, there’s fundraising, that could be students from the business school… I would say, there’s going to be opportunities for folks across campus.”
Strudler stressed that NJ PBS aims to complement, not compete with, existing New Jersey news organizations. He described plans to build a network of partners, including universities, local publications and content creators, to contribute to NJ PBS’s platforms.
The partnership concept provides an opportunity to amplify local voices and collaborate with media outlets all over the state, sharing resources and content to better serve New Jersey’s underserved news landscape.
Strudler indicated that the specifics of these collaborations will evolve over time, with opportunities for student journalists and filmmakers from across the state to participate and showcase their work.
The dean also emphasized the importance of community listening and engagement. In preparation for the acquisition, the Center of Cooperation and Media is doing outreach and setting up meetings and community listening tours as a key to building and maintaining community relationships.
Addressing concerns raised during the proposal process, Strudler mentioned worries about maintaining journalistic independence and integrity as the station comes into the ownership of an educational entity with self-interests. He shared that Montclair State will be implementing codes of integrity and best practices to guarantee editorial independence and uphold professional standards.
“We’re building codes of integrity, guidelines, best practices, from places like the Society of Professional Journalists,” Strudler said. “It’s going to ensure that kind of professional and journalistic independence in their work. I think we addressed that very well, and I think the university is very, very well suited to do this.”
Strudler also explained the bid being fiscally conservative, avoiding the unsustainable scale of previous operations by leveraging university resources and infrastructure to reduce costs, and emphasizing the importance of fundraising and membership drives.
The proposal includes in-kind contributions from the university, such as space and technical staff, reducing operational costs. He noted that the new model is streamlined and collaborative, with a focus on digital and social platforms to reach audiences more economically.
Strudler hopes that the project will elevate the university’s brand and provide students with valuable learning opportunities.
