Brenda Flanagan argues that the alternative proposal offered stronger protections for journalistic independence and statewide coverage.

A veteran New Jersey public media journalist is urging state officials and lawmakers to reconsider the decision to award the contract to run NJ PBS to Montclair State University, arguing the move could compromise editorial independence and weaken statewide news coverage.

In a June 11 protest letter to the Department of Treasury and the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority, former NJ Spotlight News senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan called on the state to rescind the award or for lawmakers to reject it during the legislative review process.

Montclair State University was selected earlier this month to operate NJ PBS, defeating a competing proposal from New Jersey Independent Public Media (NJIPM), an independent nonprofit organization led by veteran public media executive Phil Alongi.

The state’s current agreement with WNET, the New York public television station that has managed NJ PBS since 2011, expires at the end of June. Management of New Jersey’s public television network will return to a New Jersey-based operator for the first time in 15 years.

Flanagan argued that Montclair State is not suited to take over NJ PBS because its status as a public university creates concerns about editorial independence. She argued that the 2010 law that transferred New Jersey’s public broadcasting system from state control was intended not only to reduce taxpayer costs but also to make the network “journalistically independent from State government.”

“MSU is a component unit of the State, which would basically transform NJ PBS into a State-run network operated by state employees,” she wrote. “NJIPM would provide journalistic independence to the endeavor, while MSU — as an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey — cannot.”

Keith Strudler, the dean of the College of Communication and Media at Montclair State, issued a statement in response to a Vindicator request for comment.

“As we have not yet received official notification of the protest, it would be inappropriate for us to comment on the matter at this time. Should we receive formal notice, we will respond through the appropriate channels and will strongly affirm the integrity and quality of our proposal,” Strudler said.

“We remain confident in the strength of our submission and in our ability to serve the people of New Jersey with excellence,” Strudler said. “We are honored to have been selected as the next operator of New Jersey public television and are deeply grateful for the opportunity. We look forward to serving New Jersey’s residents and communities with the highest standards of integrity, transparency, ethics, and professionalism.”

Alongi, who worked with Flanagan at NJTV, said her objections carry particular weight because they come from a veteran New Jersey journalist with decades of experience in public broadcasting rather than from a competing bidder. He said many of the concerns raised in her filing echo issues that New Jersey Independent Public Media identified after reviewing the selected proposal, including questions about newsroom staffing, editorial independence, governance, the future of NJ Spotlight News, and the network’s ability to provide robust statewide news coverage.

“We are continuing to evaluate our options and review developments as they occur. However, I believe the larger issue now extends beyond any one organization,” Alongi said in a statement. “New Jersey is on the verge of making what could effectively be a five-to-fifteen-year decision about the future of its public media system. Decisions of that magnitude deserve careful scrutiny, particularly when legitimate questions have been raised by journalists, legislators, community leaders, and other stakeholders.”

Alongi called on members of the Legislature to engage in the process as soon as possible.

An Assembly oversight hearing has been scheduled for Monday, June 15, at 2 p.m.

“The Transfer Act provides a limited window for legislative review. If there are unanswered questions regarding newsroom capacity, editorial independence, governance, staffing, or the ability to deliver on the promises contained in the selected proposal, now is the time to ask them,” Alongi said. “This is not about relitigating a procurement. It is about ensuring that New Jersey residents receive the strongest possible public media system for the next generation. When respected journalists, policymakers, and community stakeholders are independently arriving at many of the same concerns, those concerns deserve a full airing before a final decision is allowed to stand. New Jersey has one opportunity to get this right. We should take the time necessary to ensure that we do.”

Flanagan’s protest letter

Flanagan submitted exhibits along with her protest letter, highlighting the fact that the governor appoints Montclair State’s Board of Trustees and that the board is empowered under state law to manage and administer the university’s affairs. She argued that the structure is at odds with provisions of the New Jersey Public Broadcasting System Transfer Act requiring the operator to provide independent civic journalism.

She also included an organizational chart from Montclair State’s proposal showing NJ PBS reporting through the university’s administrative hierarchy. The chart places the Federal Communications Commission above the State of New Jersey, followed by Montclair State University, the university president, the provost, the dean of the College of Communication and Media and the station’s general manager. Flanagan argued the structure demonstrates that NJ PBS would operate within a state institution rather than as an independent public media organization.

Flanagan said New Jersey Independent Public Media was the stronger candidate because it was structured as a single-purpose organization whose sole mission would be operating the public broadcasting network, while NJ PBS would be one of many responsibilities within a large public university.

The contract with Montclair State runs for five years and includes two optional five-year extensions.

Under the agreement, Montclair has committed to providing at least six hours of New Jersey-focused programming each week, including a nightly weekday newscast, public affairs programming, live broadcasts of the governor’s annual State of the State address and budget message, and live coverage of New Jersey elections.

Montclair’s proposal would embed NJ PBS within the university’s College of Communication and Media, relying on existing facilities, staff, students, local media partners, and university resources rather than creating a new organization. The university has pledged $1.2 million annually in in-kind support and said the arrangement would provide operational stability while creating internships and hands-on training opportunities for journalism and media students. The state will pay Montclair $250,000 this coming fiscal year to operate the network.

The New Jersey Independent Public Media proposal envisioned a standalone New Jersey public media organization governed independently from state government. Its leadership structure included former Gov. Thomas Kean, Community Foundation of New Jersey President Hans Dekker, Fund for New Jersey President Brandon McCoy and New Jersey Performing Arts Center President and Chief Executive Officer John Schreiber, among others. The proposal also included partnerships with local news organizations, colleges and universities, and arts and cultural institutions.

Its plan called for a nightly statewide newscast, a 24-hour digital news platform, a State House bureau, a South Jersey bureau, candidate debates, public forums, town halls, and a dedicated civic affairs channel focused on government coverage. New Jersey Independent Public Media also proposed partnerships with local media outlets and civic organizations, as well as the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium and the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities.

In her letter, Flanagan also asked about the future of NJ Spotlight News, which currently operates through a collaboration involving WNET. She said the agreement cited in Montclair State’s proposal expires Sept. 30, 2026.

She questioned whether Montclair State’s proposed newsroom staffing levels would be sufficient to fulfill the state’s vision for statewide public-service journalism. She said Montclair’s proposal relies on three reporters to cover the entire state, and that having a dedicated Statehouse reporter was only listed as “an aspiration.”

Flanagan argued that the staffing model would be inadequate to provide the “thorough, citizen-engaged statewide news” envisioned by the request for proposals. She contended that New Jersey Independent Public Media has greater expertise and experience in public media, management, and distribution, and would offer programming more focused on New Jersey. The organization had already secured an agreement with WNET that would allow uninterrupted broadcasting through Sept. 30 while a transition occurs, she said.

The state has not publicly released scoring sheets or detailed evaluation documents explaining why Montclair State’s proposal was selected over the competing bid, she noted.

Lawmakers have until June 22 to act on the selection of Montclair State. If the Legislature does not intervene, Montclair State will take over NJ PBS on July 1.

In her letter, Flanagan urged lawmakers to hold a public hearing before allowing the transfer to proceed.

“New Jersey residents need and deserve professional, balanced and robust public broadcasting that’s relentlessly focused on the Garden State,” she wrote. “I respectfully request a legislative hearing, so these issues can be thoroughly addressed.”

As of Thursday evening, it is not clear whether additional objections will be filed before the June 12 deadline.