NJN’s Seaside Story Goes National

Trenton – NJN Public Television & Radio announces the national distribution of Seaside Story, an NJN News documentary special about the iconic New Jersey shore town of Seaside Heights. First broadcast on NJN in March 2006, Seaside Story will become available to public television stations across the country in January 2007 through distribution by American Public Television.

Seaside Story captures the action on the boardwalk, boulevard and arcades of Seaside Heights. A small Jersey shore town by winter with a population of just 3,000, each summer this little borough by the sea experiences a transformation. Tens of thousands of visitors from all walks of life flock to the beach and boardwalk. They come for the distinctly “Jersey” brand of sun and fun. Seaside Story chronicles the tale of three businesses over the course of the summer of 2005 – the ups and downs of seaside restaurant The Luna Rosa; the family history that keeps the wheels of fortune turning at Lucky Leo’s Arcade; and the recipe to success at Maruca’s, a 50-year-old, family-owned boardwalk pizza stand.

"Much like the cacophonous craziness of the boardwalk and beach in the summer, I wanted the piece to have a carnival-like feel to it. I wanted to take the viewer on a ride," said Seaside Story producer and narrator Marie DeNoia. DeNoia has been at NJN for more than a decade during which time she has won two Emmy awards for her reporting and hosting and has garnered five Emmy nominations. Seaside Story was filmed by NJN photojournalist Bobby Hartman, edited by Emmy-winner Kirk Sohr, with post-production by Emmy-winner Tim Hufnell. The executive producer was William Jobes.

For 45 years, American Public Television (APT) has been a prime source of programming for the nation’s public television stations. APT is known for its leadership in identifying innovative, worthwhile and viewer-friendly programming, such as NJN’s Seaside Story. It has established a tradition of providing public television stations with program choices that strengthen and customize their schedules, such as America's Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Battlefield Britain, The Big Comfy Couch, Globe Trekker, Great Museums, Lidia's Family Table, Rick Steves' Europe, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, and other prominent documentaries, dramatic series, how-to programs and classic movies – many of which are broadcast regularly on NJN. For more information about APT's programs and services, visit APTonline.org

Information on Seaside Story can be found on the NJN web site at Seaside Story on njn.net. The program is closed captioned.