Arkansas becomes first state to drop partnership with PBS
Arkansas has become the first state to end its partnership with PBS after the Arkansas Educational Television Commission voted to disaffiliate due to the high cost of annual membership dues, which are about $2.5 million. This decision was influenced by the loss of federal funding to public broadcasters, following Congress’s defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting under a bill signed by President Donald trump. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, created in 1967, used to provide federal funds to PBS and NPR but has faced notable budget cuts. Arkansas PBS will now rebrand as Arkansas TV, shifting its focus to local programming, emergency services, and educational support. The change will take effect July 1, 2026. Simultaneously occurring, Alabama considered a similar move but ultimately decided to maintain its PBS affiliation after public opposition.The defunding and criticism of PBS also reflect ongoing political debates, including complaints about perceived left-wing bias in PBS content.
Arkansas becomes first state to drop partnership with PBS after funding cut
Arkansas has become the first state to cut ties with PBS after a state commission voted to end the public television partnership on Thursday.
The Arkansas Educational Television Commission said it plans to disaffiliate from the public broadcaster because its annual membership dues were simply “not feasible.” The dues cost around $2.5 million per year. The commission also pointed to the loss of federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was defunded by Congress over the summer.
The corporation’s loss in federal funding was caused by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July. The law clawed back $1.1 billion allocated for public broadcasting through fiscal 2027, forcing the corporation to wind down operations by the end of September.
Created by Congress in 1967, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting once provided federal funding to PBS and NPR. The Trump administration took aim at both nonprofit media outlets earlier this year.
Arkansas PBS is now rebranding itself as Arkansas TV, the television network’s leader announced.
“Public television in Arkansas is not going away,” Executive Director and CEO Carlton Wing said. “In fact, we invite you to join our vision for an increased focus on local programming, continuing to safeguard Arkansans in times of emergency and supporting our K-12 educators and students.”
A PBS spokesperson called the state’s decision a “blow to Arkansans.”
The Arkansas commission’s move to distance the state from PBS will take effect July 1, 2026.
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Alabama similarly considered stepping away from its partnership with PBS last month, but the state commission that oversees public television voted to continue paying for its PBS contract. Before the vote, Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) urged the body to delay any decision on the matter until it studied the opinions of residents in the state. The possibility of Alabama’s disaffiliation with PBS was met with widespread backlash from Alabama viewers and donors.
Trump previously accused PBS of producing content with a left-wing bias and acted to rescind federal funding from its principal funder. Ken Burns’s latest PBS documentary, The American Revolution, has been criticized by conservatives for the very reason that Trump raised.
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