After voting last year to become the first state to drop its PBS affiliation, the Arkansas TV Commission has reversed course and decided that PBS programs will be available for another year on the statewide public television network.
According to the Arkansas Advocate, the Commission reversed course after an extremely successful funding raising drive that raised more than $2.1 million to cover the cost of PBS until June 30, 2027. The drive has also raised $1.5 million in commitments towards paying PBS for fiscal year 2028 and 2029, boosting the total amount to about $5.25 million.
As TV Tech previously reported, Arkansas public television became a notable example last year of how the loss of federal funding is forcing public stations to make massive cuts and operational changes.
Following the 2025 cancellation of federal funding, which created an unexpected loss of $2.5 million in annual money from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the network reported that the “annual PBS membership dues of nearly $2.5 million were simply not feasible for the network or our foundation.”
To close that gap, the statewide public television network in Arkansas decided to eliminate its affiliation with PBS when the agreement was scheduled to expire at the end of June of 2026. It also changed its name from Arkansas PBS to Arkansas TV.
That prompted a public outcry and the successful fundraising effort by the Arkansas TV Foundation.
More details on the fund raise campaign are available here and here from the Arkansas Advocate.
