News & Events

By Don Smith, Manager, Cranford TV-35

How to get the most out of your Verizon FIOS statewide contract

The statewide contract from Verizon Fios provides for any municipal buildings (schools, police departments, fire departments, etc.) that the township or city owns, to be eligible for one free internet drop and one free cable TV drop.

Now, with that, the internet drop is a basic 50 megabits over 50 megabits fiber connection, and TV is a Basic TV package. We have used this in Cranford in a variety of ways. For example, at the library Wi-Fi from the new service is being used for public Wi-Fi on the first floor.

Several of our locations (such as our historical society) did not even have internet service. Some of our other buildings such as the police department and fire department are using these as backup services. The statewide contract with the details can be found on our website jagonline.org under the members section (Another Great Reason to Become a Member!)

I would encourage you to have a conversation with your mayor or administrator to discuss this great free resource.

What is needed from FIOS is the following:

• Come up with a list of locations with the full address and the location of where the service is to go.
• Place those locations on township letterhead stating that you are requesting this service under the statewide contract
• And send an email to Karyl West our government affairs representative for or FIOS in N.J.

They will then, in turn, send it to engineering and a scheduler will contact you to schedule the drops. One note is that these drops are considered residential. There is no bill, and it is free. The hardware is free too. This is a fantastic resource for your community! Trust me your mayor and council will be very pleased!

by Mark Albala, Cable Advisory Committee, Oakland TV

The State of New Jersey has financial & technical assistance available to the communications arms of NJ communities

It’s there, but not always easy to find to find

I’d love to tell you there is a consistent way of accessing advisory services and financing within the State of New Jersey for support of communications to the citizenry of New Jersey, but that is not the case. There is a wealth of services available, if you can find it. This article is not intended e a one-size-fits-all answer to receiving technical and financial support for your public access channel or other means used to communicate to the citizenry of your municipality, but rather should serve as a guide to determine where to start identifying the sources you can use to bolster either financing or technologies that cross outside the domain of TelVue, Cablecast or other broadcasting platform your municipality utilizes.

While the focus of this article is financing available from governmental organizations, there are a variety of financing opportunities documented elsewhere and sourced outside of the governmental framework. Generally, these financing sources are only available to non-profits/. Many are documented through Candid.org, one of the largest nonprofit watchdog organizations in the United States. This is not the only source available for identifying grants. Many never reach a central publication. For technology grants, there is another source, TechSoup, which is available only to nonprofits. TechSoup works with technology firms to donate hardware, software and services for an administrative fee.

Sources of Advisory and Financing Services

This briefing tries to synthesize the resources available within New Jersey’s public sector operations. It leans heavily on the state’s critical infrastructure needs and strategic initiatives outlined in the Fiscal Year 2025 Seven-Year Capital Improvement Plan. The most intensive resources available are of peripheral interest to broadcasting concerns, as they are focused on the widespread need for capital investment to address aging and failing infrastructure across nearly every state department. While these initiatives are focused on physical structures and the power that is utilized by those structures, the electrical grid and networking needs of each municipality are included in these concerns, a topic that should have the interest of your broadcasting capabilities. The key initiatives which can be tapped for financial and technical support are disbursed across several core areas:

1. Infrastructure Preservation: A substantial portion of requested funding is dedicated to replacing and modernizing fundamental building systems to prevent catastrophic failures, ensure operational continuity, and mitigate costly emergency repairs.
2. Health and Safety Compliance: Significant investments are required to meet modern safety standards. This includes statewide initiatives for fire safety compliance, asbestos and lead abatement, ADA accessibility, etc. to maintain federal accreditation and funding.
3. Modernization and Expansion: Beyond repairs, the plan details strategic investments in new facilities to meet growing demand and modern operational requirements. Notable projects include a new State Police station, expanded agricultural laboratories, and extensive construction and renovation across New Jersey’s higher education institutions.
4. Specialized Programs and Funding: The state leverages targeted programs to enhance public services. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) aims to bolster digital defenses, while entities like the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey (ESCNJ) provide cost-effective technology purchasing for schools and municipalities. Furthermore, specific revenue streams, such as Public, Education, and Government (PEG) fees from cable operators, are strictly regulated for capital expenditures on public access channels. A particular focus has been placed on improving operations efficiency to assist municipalities to accomplish more with less.

Collectively, these initiatives represent a systematic effort to preserve state assets, enhance public safety and services, foster economic growth, and ensure the long-term fiscal health and operational integrity of the State of New Jersey.

NOTE: I have taken the stance to include every technological investment available in the state, whether it has a direct consequence to public access television or not, mainly because there is not a clear picture of what would apply to your specific jurisdictional circumstances. For example, if you were implementing a new networking topology for support of your broadcasting needs, there may be venues potentially available for technical and financial support which would be obfuscated if the discussion was limited to only direct opportunities for advisory and financial support of communications.

The level of consistency available from county organizations is relatively low. Bergen County and Essex County seem to be some of the more generous counties in the state, but navigating to the sources of this funding is an exercise in its own right. Within the Borough of Oakland, I am investigating what resources are available at the county level which the municipality can tap into. Any answers I surface pertinent to Bergen County will likely not be relevant in other counties

So, here is the capital improvement plan for the State of New Jersey, with the hope that this sparks some ideas of what avenues should be researched for advisory and financing sources within your community.

New Jersey’s Seven-Year Capital Improvement Plan (FY 2025)

New Jersey’s capital program is a comprehensive strategy for investing in short-term and long-term needs essential to its citizens. The plan prioritizes the preservation of existing assets, strategic investments in transportation and environmental systems, and the construction of modern facilities to generate economic growth and support public services.

A. Governance and Planning Process

The capital planning process is managed by the New Jersey Commission on Capital Budgeting and Planning, established in 1975. This 12-member advisory body provides a systematic focus on the investment of limited capital resources.

• Commission Composition: The Commission includes the State Treasurer, three other Executive Branch members, two members each from the General Assembly and Senate, and four public members with expertise in public finance.
• Responsibilities: The Commission is tasked with preparing the annual State Capital Improvement Plan, reviewing all capital projects, forecasting future needs, making recommendations on maintenance and debt, and ensuring proposals are consistent with the State Development and Redevelopment Plan.
• Process: State agencies evaluate their facilities, determine priorities, and submit seven-year capital requests. The Treasurer and Governor’s Office provide funding targets and policy guidance. The Commission reviews these requests, hears testimony from agencies, and makes final recommendations.
• Funding Sources: Capital funding is derived from multiple sources, including constitutional dedications of motor fuel taxes, a portion of the sales tax, petroleum products gross receipts tax, contributions from toll road authorities, and debt issued by entities like the Transportation Trust Fund Authority. The fiscal 2025 plan also recommends $38.721 million from the Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund for non-recurring capital expenditures.

B. Core Investment Themes and Recurring Needs

Analysis of the departmental requests reveals several consistent and urgent themes, underscoring the systemic challenges facing the state’s physical assets.

1. Infrastructure Preservation and Modernization. A dominant theme is the critical need to repair and replace aging core infrastructure. Many state buildings, constructed between the 1960s and 1980s, operate with original systems that have far exceeded their useful lifecycles. This includes physical facilities, HVAC needs for these facilities and power and networking facilities of these organizations.
2. Health, Safety, and Compliance. A substantial portion of capital requests is driven by the need to comply with federal and state regulations and to ensure the safety of employees, the public, and individuals in state care. This includes fire safety, environmental remediation, Ligature Risk abatement, Dam Safety but also ADA compliance.
3. Security Enhancements. Modernizing security systems is a priority across multiple agencies to protect state assets, personnel, and the public. This includes integrated systems, with a focus on law enforcement, and correctional facilities, but also includes public address systems including those pertinent for emergency communications.
4. Energy Efficiency and Sustainability. In line with the State Energy Master Plan, departments are seeking to upgrade facilities with energy-efficient technologies to reduce operating costs and carbon footprint. This includes lighting, renewable energy and other energy assurance initiatives. This potentially could include power assurance that is critical to broadcasting.

Higher Education.

Universities across New Jersey have submitted extensive capital requests for new construction, major renovations, and deferred maintenance to support growing student enrollment and research initiatives, including Rowan University, Rutgers, Montclair State University and Kean University. Many of these funds can benefit municipalities.

Cross State Cybersecurity Initiatives.

The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) is a New Jersey initiative designed to improve the cybersecurity posture of state and local government organizations. The program is structured around four key objectives:

1. Governance and Planning: Establish governance structures and develop or revise cybersecurity plans to improve incident response and ensure continuity of operations.
2. Risk Assessment: Enable agencies to understand their current cybersecurity posture through continuous testing, evaluation, and structured assessments.
3. Security Implementation: Implement security protections that are commensurate with identified risks.
4. Workforce Development: Provide cybersecurity training for personnel, tailored to their level of responsibility.

Cable Communications PEG FEES

Under the federal Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, local governments (franchising authorities) can collect fees from cable operators to support local Public, Education, and Government (PEG) channels. The use of these funds is strictly regulated.

• Franchise Fees: Cable operators may be required to pay up to 5% of their gross revenues in franchise fees, which are designated for the general fund and can be used for any purpose.
• PEG Fees: In addition to franchise fees, operators may be required to pay PEG fees (e.g., 1% of gross revenue) as financial support for PEG channels.
• Usage Restrictions: PEG fees may only be spent on capital costs for PEG facilities and equipment. They may not be used for operating costs.
• Capital Costs: Acquiring or improving a specific capital asset, such as channel capacity, facilities, and equipment for the use of such capacity.
• Operating Costs: Expenses incurred in running the day-to-day business of the PEG channel, such as employee salaries or the cost of hiring an outside audiovisual company to broadcast meetings.
• Compliance: If PEG fees are improperly spent on operating costs, they are reclassified as franchise fees. Cable operators may then offset future franchise fee payments by deducting the amount that was misspent. The Act also allows for audits of a local government’s use of PEG fees.

State-wide organizations fostering the financing and advisory services to public access broadcasting initiatives are the Jersey Access Group, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, specifically their Office of Cable Television and Communications and the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium.

Other State Capital Improvement Opportunities

As outlined in the Capital Improvement Plan, the state relies on a variety of dedicated revenue streams and financing mechanisms to fund its capital program. These include providing capital funds from funds derived from motor fuel taxes, sales and use taxes, transportation related authorities, Motor vehicle registration fees, debt servicing on state issued bonds and the Debt Defeasance and Preservation Fund.

Coordinated Programs that Differ in Administration Across the Counties of New Jersey

Coordinated programs are those that are either driven by federal, state or county guidance but administered differently across the counties of New Jersey.

Shared Services Adoption

Many of New Jersey’s counties have adopted a shared services model to offer advisory and financial support to municipalities and to non-profits that support municipalities. For example, in Bergen County, Bergen Cares has taken the mandate to be the central spoke to delivering technical advisory and financial support programs in addition to other mandates. In Monmouth County, the Monmouth County Improvement Authority has a similar mandate.

Generally, the major initiatives of these initiatives are focused on technology modernization and in particularly deploying Ai for resident engagement, cyber-security as directed through the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC), which has as part of its mandate to disburse $263 million via the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

Additional focus areas are to utilize technologies to improve the optimization of taxpayer dollars by disbursing federal and state grant opportunities and advising on the adoption of best practices through practices like centralized eProcurement, strategic disposal of surplus assets and other intents as documented in the NJSTART initiative and other initiatives intended to achieve AAA credit ratings throughout the state, including initiatives focused on public safety and improving the quality of public services at a reduced overall cost. Statewide initiatives are also being deployed through coordination through the Division of Consumer Affairs and the Division of Local Government Entities to administer grants through the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE) initiative all focused on achieving an elevated efficiency of local government.

County-Level Shared Service Models

Finally, the county specific programs, which are devised to assist both municipalities and, in many cases, only through nonprofits supporting those municipalities through programs like Bergen Cares, the Monmouth County Improvement Authority, the Union County Division of Information Technologies, the Middlesex County Ai for Resident Engagement initiative, the Piscataway based Educational Services Commission of New Jersey (ESCNJ) and the Rutgers’ Center for Urban Policy Research. Each county within the state of New Jersey is administered differently and navigating the complex of weaves, while difficult, can be softened with the aid of the New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) and its national counterpart, the National Association of Counties (NACO).

About Mark Albala

Mark Albala is semi-retired and serves as president of two companies, InfoSight Partners and Albala Press, serves on the board of directors of two start-ups, Singularity Media and Beyond Ai, and serves on several disciplines associated with communicating to the citizenry of Oakland, New Jersey. Mark has recently turned his attention to authoring works of science fiction and has been helping other budding artists navigate the weave of challenges complicating the ability to publish their works. Prior to semi-retirement, Mark ran several technology profit centers for consulting firms, has served as a trusted advisor to many global corporations, instituted the solution architecture department for several consulting firms and served as a driving force in information, technology and information architecture for clients across a variety of industries.

by Jordan Anderson, Television Producer

Jordan Anderson is an aspiring producer and currently produces and directs three television shows at Piscataway Community Television. Jordan graduated from Rider University in December 2023 with a BFA degree in film and television. Having lived and studied in various cities (domestic and international) she strives to do the best work possible.

A background that prepared her for a career in media

Her background in entertainment began in high school, when she decided to pursue storytelling and visual media as a career. She interned and lived in Los Angeles, learning about media in the heart of Hollywood. She also worked as a traveling journalist in Urbino, Italy. These experiences contributed to her current success.

Learning from her mentor and colleagues

Upon meeting her mentor and close friend, Steve Kaiser. Steve has worked closely with PCTV for 33 years and has the longest-running show there called On the Loose. Steve taught Jordan the business with hands-on experience. She and Steve actively work on Non-Profit Television (NPTV), The Green Industry Report, and On the Loose together every week. Steve taught her all she knows about cable television and continuously inspires her.

Their partnership began in January 2024, when her father brought her down to the Total Pro Expo in Edison, NJ. Steve and the host, Lisa, were filming an episode for Growing Green (now The Green Industry Report) where Lisa interviewed her dad. Jordan’s father works for CLC Landscape Design in Ringwood, NJ, and was tasked with receiving their awards that year.

As Steve and Lisa introduced themselves as cable television crew members, Jordan’s dad recommended she meet them. Lisa has worked closely with both of them since. Upon joining her father the second day of the Expo, Jordan met Steve and immediately picked up the equipment and filmed the remaining interviews for that month’s show. Jordan was a natural, and Steve was impressed with how quickly she learned.

Bringing Gen Z flair

Having worked in television for decades, Steve started many different shows during his time with PCTV. When Jordan joined the team, he revived one of his old shows, Non-Profit Television, which had existed for 8 years, and gave Jordan full control of the new age of the show. She started social media pages, YouTube channels, and her own business. She brought the innovations from what she learned in college to make the show better. These shows include:

Non-Profit Television (NPTV) is a show dedicated to 501(c)(3)s and promoting organizations and their upcoming events. Besides being producer, Jordan has worked as a camera operator, director, content creator, social media expert, and host. Although her original intention was to stay behind the scenes, she was encouraged by Steve to be on camera, interviewing the different people they met. This gave her a sense of both sides of the business–crew and talent. Some non-profit organizations that have been featured on the show include: The Fighting Children’s Cancer Foundation, the Meghan Rose Bradley Foundation, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department, the Branchburg Rotary, and many more.

The Green Industry Report was formerly known as the award-winning Growing Green. Originally sponsored by the New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association (NJNLA), it focused on all things green industry in New Jersey.With host Lisa DeAngelis, the show features various garden centers, business owners, and agriculture experts sharing their knowledge of plants and flowers (most recently sponsored by Hionis Greenhouses). The team loves learning more about the green industry in the Garden State.

On the Loose has been on the air for over 30 years, representing many different businesses. Steve started the show back in 1992, where he has had over 40 hosts. Currently hosted by Lisa and Jordan, the crew gets to meet a multitude of business owners and industry professionals. Best described as a variety show, it captures the fun parts of life by supporting small businesses. Having ice cream shops, meat markets, thrift stores, entertainment venues, etc., Jordan truly loves to see the connection this show has had over the years with so many people.

Jordan’s goals with these shows are to create a portfolio of herself and her work for future projects and opportunities. In addition to working as a producer on the shows, she is also the executive assistant at a production company in New York City. She has worked with Sonia Victoria Werner at the Lighthouse Ladies, LLC., since January 2024 as well. Here, she branches out her narrative film knowledge while still learning the aspects of the broadcast world.

Jordan is very grateful for all of the opportunities she has been given, and strives to work hard every day she can, and thanks those she has met along the way who have helped her out. She is especially thankful to her parents, Steve and Lisa, along with George and Doug at PCTV, who helped her be a part of the JAG community and exposed her to the broadcast world.