LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS – The Arkansas Educational Television Commission voted Thursday to end its affiliation with PBS, making Arkansas the first state to formally sever ties with the network that airs popular programs like “Sesame Street,” “Nova,” and “Antiques Roadshow.”
The eight-member commission, entirely composed of gubernatorial appointees, said the move will take effect July 1. Officials cited annual membership fees of roughly $2.5 million as “not feasible,” along with the loss of an equivalent amount in federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was defunded by Congress earlier this year.
PBS Arkansas will rebrand as Arkansas TV, shifting its focus to more local programming, according to Executive Director and CEO Carlton Wing, a former Republican state representative who assumed leadership in September. “Public television in Arkansas is not going away,” Wing said, emphasizing plans to expand local content, continue emergency broadcasting, and support K-12 education.
PBS confirmed that Arkansas is the first state to fully disaffiliate. Alabama had considered a similar move last month but reversed course following public backlash. A PBS spokesperson said the decision is “a blow to Arkansans who will lose free, over-the-air access to quality PBS programming.”
The loss of Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding, largely due to federal efforts to defund public media, is expected to have lasting effects on public radio and television, especially in smaller communities. Arkansas House Democratic Leader Andrew Collins called the move “a loss for Arkansas families who value PBS programming,” noting the critical role CPB plays in supporting stations nationwide.