Arkansas PBS rebranded as Arkansas TV after losing $2.5 million in federal funding
NEED TO KNOW
-
Viewers and donors pushed back against the changes, resulting in a vote to delay the split
-
An anonymous $3 million pledge requires matching donations to help restore funding and maintain PBS content in Arkansas
An anonymous donor pledged $3 million to keep public television alive in Arkansas, but it comes with a catch.
Following the shutdown of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting earlier this year, the state of Arkansas was the first in the country to vote to split up the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
Former state legislator Carlton Wing became the executive director at Arkansas PBS in September 2025, noting that the loss of roughly $2.5 million in federal support made them adjust plans.
He rebranded it to Arkansas TV, leaving PBS behind.
“It's been a tough mission here of late,” Wing said, according to ABC affiliateKATV. “The federal funding cuts changed the entire landscape of public television.”
However, the viewers and donors didn't go quietly. They wanted PBS' programs instead of more locally focused entertainment.
“I love Craig O'Neal, but he is not Ken Burns. I don't think trading Craig O'Neal forKen Burnsis what we need to do. 49 other states figured it out, we've got money in the state, and I think we need to do the same thing," supporter Lisa Handley said. O'Neal is the host of an Arkansas TV show, per the outlet.
The Arkansas Television Commission ultimately voted 4-1 on March 12 to delay the split for 180 days, providing more time to secure funding.
Advertisement
Arkansas TV Foundation CEO Marge Betley stated that they lost 3,738 donors over the past few months, according to theArkansas Advocate.
“We had a lot of donors walk away because what they were hoping to pay for with their donations was PBS,” Senator Clarke Tucker said. “What this does is it creates an incentive and a mechanism for those donors to come back to the table.”
The anonymous donor's pledge stated that others should also contribute to save PBS.
On Wednesday, April 22, Senate Bill 77 was advanced by lawmakers. The bill allows up to $550,000 in private donations to be matched by Arkansas' public television network.
“There was a bad audit that some legislators had concerns about. I think those financial issues have been worked out," Tucker said, per KATV.
The $3 million donation would arrive in $1 million increments for three years.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Senator Jonathan Dismang said, “It just ensures that there's buy-in from the public and that we're able to make sure we have the funding needed.”
Read the original article onPeople
