First state announces to have cut ties with PBS due to ‘not feasible’ costs
What it means for public broadcasting after first state cuts ties with PBS
- Arkansas has become the first US state to disaffiliate from the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), with the change effective from July 1.
- The Arkansas Educational Television Commission cited annual membership dues of approximately $2.5 million as “not feasible” and noted an unexpected loss of federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
- The CPB was targeted for closure and subsequently defunded by Congress, a direct consequence of Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of public media.
- PBS Arkansas will rebrand as Arkansas TV, with Executive Director Carlton Wing promising an increased focus on local programming and support for educators.
- A PBS spokesperson expressed concern that Arkansans would lose free access to quality PBS programming, while a state representative lamented the decision.