 | |
| Broadcast area | Northern New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Frequency | see table below |
| Branding | New Jersey Public Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public radio (news/talk,jazz) |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | New York Public Radio |
| WNYC,WNYC-FM,WQXR-FM,WQXW | |
| History | |
First air date | July 1, 2011 (2011-07-01) |
Call sign meaning | all stations: New Jersey |
| Technical information | |
| Class | A (all stations) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
New Jersey Public Radio (NJPR) is anNPR membernetwork serving portions ofnorthern New Jersey on four licensed stations: 88.1WNJT-FM inTrenton, 88.5WNJP inSussex, 89.3WNJY inNetcong, and 90.3WNJO inToms River, which were the four northernmost radio stations of theNew Jersey Network (NJN) until 2011. NJPR is owned byNew York Public Radio (NYPR), which also owns the twoWNYC and twoWQXR-FM stations.[1] NJPR primarily serves northern New Jersey residents who are unable to get a clear signal from the WNYC stations.[2]The network went on the air on July 1, 2011, after NJN ended operations the day before.
The seeds which led to the formation of New Jersey Public Radio were planted in 2008, when NJN officials asked theNew Jersey Legislature for permission to explore the possibility of spinning-off into a non-profit entity, independent from state funding.[3] However, on June 6, 2011,New Jersey governorChris Christie, who vowed to end state-funded public broadcasting upon taking office in 2010, announced the sale of the radio network. The northern part of the network was sold to New York Public Radio, which used the stations to start a new New Jersey-focused public radio network.[4] A formal agreement was signed on June 29.[1] NYPR assumed control of the stations under a management agreement on July 1; theFederal Communications Commission approved the sale on August 29, 2011.
Originally, New Jersey Public Radio's programming was largely identical to the programming that had been offered by NJN;[1] consisting primarily of national programming from NPR,Public Radio Exchange, andAmerican Public Media, as well as a simulcast ofWBGO'sjazz programming in the overnight hours.
On January 12, 2012; NJPR rolled out a new schedule. Among the highlights were a local host forMorning Edition and increased New Jersey-centric news and information content in partnership with the New Jersey News Service, headquartered atMontclair State University.[5]
Due to the crowded state of the noncommercial end of the FM dial in the northeastern United States, the four New Jersey Public Radio stations all operate at relatively low power for full NPR members on the FM band. None has anERP greater than 4,000 watts.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | Facility ID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | First air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WNJY | 89.3 FM | Netcong | 93964 |
| 131 m (430 ft) | A | 40°53′14.4″N74°41′53.6″W / 40.887333°N 74.698222°W /40.887333; -74.698222 (WNJY) | July 8, 2008[6] |
| WNJP | 88.5 FM | Sussex | 48471 | 450 | 194 m (636 ft) | A | 41°8′37.3″N74°32′16.6″W / 41.143694°N 74.537944°W /41.143694; -74.537944 (WNJP) | August 1998[7] |
| WNJO | 90.3 FM | Toms River | 123020 |
| 37 m (121 ft) | A | 39°54′52.4″N74°4′56.4″W / 39.914556°N 74.082333°W /39.914556; -74.082333 (WNJO) | August 23, 2008[8] |
| WNJT-FM | 88.1 FM | Trenton | 48488 | 110 | 210 m (689 ft) | A | 40°16′58.4″N74°41′9.6″W / 40.282889°N 74.686000°W /40.282889; -74.686000 (WNJT-FM) | May 20, 1991[9] |
All four NJPR stations were knocked off the air on October 29, 2012, afterHurricane Sandy. While WNJY, WNJP and WNJT returned to the air by November 3, once power and studio to transmitter link connections could be restored, it took until December 14 to get WNJO back on the air as its transmitter is located nearSeaside Park on theBarnegat Peninsula, which was inaccessible from mainland New Jersey for some time after the storm. This transmitter site experienced long term utility outages for both power and audio connectivity. New York Public Radio engineering director Jim Stagnitto initially feared that the WNJO transmitter was swept intoBarnegat Bay, but found it intact when his team was able to access the site.[10][11][12]
