NJTV NEWS AND NJ SPOTLIGHT COMBINE NEWS TEAMS AND REBRAND AS NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS BEGINNING OCTOBER 5 

October 5, 2020 – NEWARK, NJ – 
NJTV News and NJ Spotlight- both trusted, member-supported, award-winning independent news sources in New Jersey- were brought together in 2019 to create a new, multiplatform approach to local, in-depth journalism in the state. Now a new, singular news brand unites them: NJ Spotlight News. Effective today, the new brand renames both the news division of NJTV, New Jersey’s public television network, and its flagship weeknight newscast, NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi. The websites for both previous entities have been combined into one at NJSpotlightNews.org.

“Our teams have worked diligently to combine talents and resources to create a unified, unparalleled public affairs newsroom with impactful stories and civil discourse for and about New Jersey,” said Senior Managing Editor Jamie Kraft. “We now have what we believe to be the most comprehensive newsroom in the state.”

“While the name may be new, our dedication to cover the critical issues you care about, including education, healthcare and the environment, remains,” said NJ Spotlight’s Founding Editor John Mooney, “and the trusted, robust political coverage you have come to expect continues.”

“During this current relentless period of uncertainty, a place for reliable, trustworthy news and information has never been greater,” said Neal Shapiro, President and CEO of The WNET Group, which operates NJTV. “We are so proud of the growth of our New Jersey news division. No one else covers the Garden State in such a comprehensive way.”

The NJ Spotlight News team will provide multiplatform reporting from across the Garden State while also producing live news specials and hosting roundtable discussions. The team will contribute to this week’s NJTV/Stockton University 2nd Congressional District debate, where its correspondents will be posing questions to candidates Amy Kennedy and Jeff Van Drew throughout the evening and providing post-debate analysis.

NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi airs weeknights at 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. on NJTV (check local listings).

Major funding for NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi is provided by RWJBarnabas Health, NJM Insurance Group, New Jersey Education Association, PSEG Foundation, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Orsted.

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About NJTV

NJTV, New Jersey’s public television network, brings quality arts, education, and public affairs programming to all 21 counties in New Jersey and its tri-state neighbors. NJTV presents PBS series such as Nature, NOVA, Amanpour and Company, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Curious George, as well as diverse local programs including Chat Box with David Cruz, Here’s the Story, Treasures of New Jersey, Drive By History,  One-on-One with Steve Adubato  and State of the Arts. The network’s flagship weeknight newscast, NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi, provides multiplatform reporting from across the Garden State. The network’s news division also produces live news specials and hosts roundtable discussions.

Headquartered at the Agnes Varis NJTV Studio in Newark, with additional studio space at New Jersey City University and resource partners across the state, NJTV engages with the communities it serves through regular studio tours, internship opportunities, local program screenings, and town hall-style convenings that highlight topics from healthcare, housing and poverty to education and the environment.  NJTV’s website offers online programs and free digital resources for educators via PBS LearningMedia New Jersey. Visit njtvonline.org to learn more.

NJTV is operated under an agreement with the state of New Jersey by Public Media NJ, Inc. (PMNJ), a non-profit affiliate of WNET, parent company of award-winning New York public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21. Network sponsorships and partnerships are available.