WLIW21, a WNET station, is premiering a 30-minute local news show, Long Island Business Report, on Tuesday (May 1) as a special, with the aim of attracting sponsors. “We hope to re-launch in the fall,” host Jim Paymar told the Long Island Business News website. “The station is behind the project. It’s a matter of fundraising and getting sponsorships. We’ll be looking for funds from corporations and foundations and individuals who believe in public broadcasting and the type of program we’re doing.” The show is being produced as a collaboration between WLIW and the host’s Paymar Communications Group.
In an announcement, the station said the show “continues WLIW21’s commitment to presenting the issues most important to Long Island residents and celebrating the Island’s unique people and places.”
Paymar is a veteran business news anchor and correspondent who has worked for CNBC, WABC, WNBC, and BusinessWeek. At CNBC he appeared on Business Center, Power Lunch and Market Wrap. The first episode of the program looks at Long Island’s infrastructure, its rising costs of living and potential for revitalization in downtown areas.