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New Jersey Assembly Rejects WNET Takeover Of NJN Television Station

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - Assembly members in the Garden State have voted to reject a deal that transfers control of the New Jersey Network to public broadcasters based in New York.

Last night's 45-30 vote to nix the deal cut with WNET by the Christie Administration is not the final word on the subject. A senate vote is set Monday.

State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff told a senate committee before the Assembly vote that without the transfer, NJN won't go dark but the weeknight newscast would.

"We would prioritize the maintenance of such staff and broadcast operations as may be minimally required under the terms of our FCC licenses."

And the layoffs of almost all 130 network staffers will proceed since there's no money in the budget to keep them on the state payroll after July 1st.

Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio

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