Arkansas Explained: What’s happening to public television in the state?

By: Tess Vrbin

Outlets: Arkansas Advocate

Published: January 28, 2026

Words: 691

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 6 days ago

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Arkansas is poised in July to become the first state in the nation to cut ties with PBS, a move that comes amid cuts to federal funding for public broadcasting and public radio.

The PBS affiliate has already been rebranded as Arkansas TV, and officials say they’re preparing to launch in-house productions to replace Sesame Street, Masterpiece Theatre and other beloved programs.

But the decision has prompted skepticism from viewers who have relied …

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