The real cartoon network

The public television operation Chris Christie gave away showed a dancing mouse cartoon instead of the governor's nationally broadcast press conference Tuesday.

NJTV, the bargain basement replacement for the respected New Jersey Network, eschewed live coverage of the biggest Trenton news story of the year in favor of "Angelina Ballerina," the adventures of a relentlessly perky rodent in a pink tutu.

L'Affaire Angelina surely isn't as egregious as "My Pet Goat," the book President George W. Bush famously continued reading to Florida students after being told of the initial 9/11 attack.

But NJTV's decision to showcase an eight-year-old British "mouseling," rather than the governor, does suggest where Garden State news coverage ranks on the to-do list at the new Manhattan-based parent of what was once New Jersey's own public TV system. Reruns and Steve Adubato are so far NJTV's signature.

"NJTV executives promised us that they would be investing substantial resources after Labor Day to improve the quality and content of the station's news programming," state Assemblyman John Burzichelli said. The Gloucester County Democrat, a partner in his family's video production business, has been a persistent critic of the new operation.

"Once again (NJTV) dropped the ball," Burzichelli added. "And it's the people of New Jersey who end up on the losing end."

He's right.

Angelina, Alice Bridgette Nimbletoes and their other little friends may dance their days away in "Roquefort Hall" at the "Camembert Academy."

But the real cheesiness is at NJTV.