Without PBS, Arkansas Public Television Enters an Uncharted Era

For many Arkansans, public television carries deep emotional weight, sustained by donations from viewers who believe their hard earned dollars support an institution that educates, informs, and connects communities across the state.

That sense of permanence is now being unsettled.

Beginning in July, PBS programs that currently make up the majority of content across the network’s four channels will no longer be broadcast in Arkansas. Long running and widely watched shows will disappear from the state’s airwaves. “PBS News Hour,” “Sesame Street,” “Antiques Roadshow,” “American Experience,” and Ken Burns documentaries will no longer air on the network. The PBS KIDS channel, which provides educational programming for families without reliable high speed internet access, will also go dark.

Arkansas will become the first state in the country to take such a step.

Supporters of the decision cite a range of justifications, but the response from viewers has been swift and deeply emotional. Many have expressed anger and disappointment, with some openly discussing mass unsubscriptions and unfollowing the network altogether. While many believe the move is tied directly to political influence, whether viewers will carry the same loyalty and emotional connection they once felt for Arkansas PBS to the newly branded Arkansas TV remains an open question.

A Shift in Mission and Programming

Arkansas TV will operate under a new identity. Director Carlton Wing has said the network’s mission is to prioritize original, Arkansas centered educational programming, adding that several in state content creators have already reached out about potential collaborations.

“We are bringing it back home to educational content for Arkansans so that we can grow and make sure this public television model works for the next generation,” Wing said.

The station has said viewers should expect several new locally produced shows, alongside continued broadcasts of select BBC series distributed through American Public Television and the National Educational Telecommunications Association.

Still, questions remain about whether the shift away from national PBS programming could open the door to political influence at the state level. When asked how Arkansas TV would ensure its original content remains unbiased, Wing said the network would work with the Arkansas Department of Education to ensure programming aligns with state educational standards.

Viewers have also been advised that they can subscribe to PBS Passport for $60 per year to access a wide range of PBS content, including “Antiques Roadshow,” “Masterpiece Theatre,” and Ken Burns documentaries. The availability of Passport programs, however, varies by location. Supporters of the transition have also pointed to the free PBS KIDS app as an alternative, arguing that families will still have access to educational programming even as the traditional broadcast channel disappears.

The Cost Argument and Funding Dispute

At the center of the unpopular disaffiliation decision is cost. PBS programming costs the network $2.3 million a year. The network lost $2.5 million in programming and operational funding after the Corporation for Public Broadcasting lost federal funding last summer and officially shut down this month.

Wing has said that amount is too expensive following the loss of federal support. He said the move would save about $2 million a year. Chief Financial Officer James Downs said the network would face a $6 million deficit by the 2030 fiscal year if it remained affiliated.

Critics dispute that explanation. They note that $2.3 million amounts to roughly 77 cents per Arkansas resident each year, in a state that is now spending about $300 million annually on voucher subsidies for private and homeschool students, a program serving fewer than 47,000 families.

Rather than pursuing alternative funding options such as seeking donations from wealthy donors, applying for charitable foundation grants, increasing corporate underwriting, lobbying for additional state funding, or pressing Arkansas’ congressional delegation to reverse federal cuts, critics argue Wing opted to abandon PBS altogether.

PBS officials have also denied Wing’s claim that the disaffiliation decision had to be made immediately to avoid additional fees for missing a Jan. 1 deadline.

Supporters of the network point out that Arkansas PBS viewers donated $500,000 in the months following the congressional decision to cut CPB funding, an outpouring of support that some say was undermined by the decision to disaffiliate. The network raises roughly $3 million each year from viewers, an amount that exceeds the savings from eliminating PBS dues.

Some observers argue that the financial explanation masks a deeper political conflict. They note that one of Wing’s first actions after taking over the network was to sever partnerships with the state’s three public radio stations: KUAR in Little Rock, KUAF in Fayetteville, and KASU in Jonesboro.

All three radio stations also lost CPB support but chose to retain their NPR affiliations and pursue long term financial solutions instead.

Donor Fallout and Programming Promises

Marge Betley, CEO of the Arkansas PBS Foundation, which manages donations to the network, warned in June that donations would “nosedive” without PBS programming. She said 80 percent of online donors cite PBS content as their primary reason for giving.

The foundation provided a one time emergency fund of $1.5 million last year to cover operating expenses and about half of the national dues. Wing and Downs have said that effort is unlikely to be repeated.

In an August 2025 marketing email, Betley told donors that sufficient support could allow the network to “continue delivering the trusted, inspiring programming that you value” despite the loss of CPB funding.

Under the new structure, Arkansas TV has told donors who want continued access to PBS Passport content that they may need to donate to PBS stations in neighboring states. That approach has drawn criticism for encouraging donor money to flow out of Arkansas.

At the same time, Wing has pledged to increase locally produced programming from about 5.5 percent of the broadcast schedule to 70 percent. Arkansas TV has said it can replace PBS programming with local content for $500,000 a year, a figure critics say is insufficient to maintain comparable quality or volume.

Concerns were also raised by Annette Herrington, a longtime member of the Arkansas PBS board who voted against disaffiliation. In a letter to Wing, she said that other public television systems across the country are pursuing multiple options rather than abandoning PBS.

“With 78 percent of Arkansans supporting PBS content, viewers and donors definitely deserve our best efforts to find a solution for the people we serve,” Herrington wrote. “I cannot understand how the only option presented after your first 70 days was to deny PBS content to all Arkansans.”

What Comes Next

Arkansas TV says its mission is to air “more Arkansas stories, more Arkansas voices and more Arkansas experiences.” Programming plans include original local productions as well as some acquired international children’s content.  Arkansas TV has invited independent producers to submit proposals through a form on its website. The station has already announced new programming, including a cooking show titled “Arkansas Taste Kitchen,” set to premiere in March and hosted by longtime television and radio personality Craig O’Neill. Emails obtained through a public records request show that Arkansas based creators and an Australian children’s entertainment company have expressed interest in providing content.

Still, questions remain about how much long term support the new model will receive from viewers who have long felt a deep emotional connection to public television. Whether those audiences will embrace new programming, continue their financial support, and sustain the network’s revenue model remains uncertain. The transition represents a significant gamble for an institution built on decades of public trust.