Wing: Cutting PBS ties necessary, more local shows coming
Arkansas TV’s disaffiliation from the Public Broadcasting System will save the station $2.5 million in annual PBS dues next year and give it time to create a financially viable operation, Executive Director and CEO Carlton Wing said Tuesday (Jan. 13).
The state’s public television system will broadcast content similar to its current lineup that will be produced by other creators at a cost of $400,000. “Sesame Street” will no longer be broadcast, but other children’s programming will be. Moreover, Wing hopes to increase locally produced programming from 5% of its content to 30%.
Wing made those comments during a luncheon address at the Rotary Club of Little Rock at the Clinton Presidential Center and to reporters afterwards. He told reporters that he believes Arkansas TV can reach a sustainable budget in the next couple of years.
“That’s really our goal, is to show that the ship has been righted and that we are heading up instead of down,” he said.
The former state representative and broadcaster began leading the station Sept. 30 after being nominated by the Arkansas PBS Commission and confirmed by Gov. Sarah Sanders.
His appointment came at a time when the state’s public television system was losing $2.5 million in federal funding. That equals 20% of its budget, with 60% coming from the state.
The $2.5 million came from a federal grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which the system then used to pay its dues to the Public Broadcasting System. PBS aggregates content for its member stations.
The funding loss came after President Donald Trump in May issued an executive order calling for defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which later was confirmed by congressional action.
Wing said he did not believe he would be able to obtain more funding from the Legislature, which he said passed the system’s budget with three days left in last year’s legislative session on the fifth try.
Wing said the system – formerly known as Arkansas PBS – bridged the gap this fiscal year by cutting $1 million in capital investments and by its foundation raising an additional $1.5 million. But the prospects for the future did not look bright. Without disaffiliating, Arkansas TV would run a $917,865 deficit in fiscal year 2028 and a a $3.77 million deficit by FY 2029.
By disaffiliating, it would run almost a $900,000 surplus in FY 2028 and a $112,976 deficit in FY 2029. Disaffiliating would give the station what he called a “longer runway to make the changes that are needed to be made.”
Wing said the station had to inform PBS of its plans 180 days before the next fiscal year began July 1. On Dec. 11, its board voted to disaffiliate. Wing said Arkansas TV will continue to run PBS programming until June 30.
“What we have the opportunity to do now is to march boldly forward with a business model that can work for the long term,” he said. “If we had done the other thing two years in, we’re done.”
Wing said Arkansas was the first state to disaffiliate in part because of its calendar. He said every state is dealing with the loss of federal funding, but they have different funding models. Some don’t rely on government assistance. He said several states had reached out to him saying they had one more year of savings.
“Every state that has anything similar to our funding mechanism is having to make the same decisions right now,” he said.
He told reporters that Arkansas TV had lost 600-700 donors since it began making changes.
As part of the makeover, Arkansas PBS rebranded itself as Arkansas TV. Wing told the audience that the station will continue to offer the same types of programs – children’s programming, documentaries, British dramas, outdoors shows, gardening, etc. – that it offers now, but the titles will be different and they will come from different sources.
He said Arkansas TV can broadcast content distributed by American Public Television and the National Educational Television Association for under $400,000 annually. He said many creators have reached out to him since the state disaffiliated.
“There are so many content creators in the world right now,” he said. “There is not just one source for content, and so we have the opportunity to be able to gather from a variety of outlets.”
Meanwhile, Arkansas TV is increasing its percentage of locally produced program from the current 5% to a goal of 30%. The programming includes Blueberry’s Clubhouse, an Emmy award-winning children’s reading program, and Arkansas Taste Kitchen, which will teach low-income Arkansans how to feed a family of four a healthy menu for $200 a week. The show will feature a master chef and UAMS’ chief dietician and will be hosted by TV personality Craig O’Neill.
Arkansas TV is also producing a 90-minute documentary marking the state’s contribution to American history in this, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Wing said universities and other sources can produce programming.
“There are a lot of options out there, and we’re pursuing all of them,” he said.