Arkansas PBS rebranding to Arkansas TV | What we know

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — As it prepares to hit the milestone 60th year of serving the community here in the Natural State, Arkansas’s only statewide public television network has announced that it is realigning its mission.

They are doing so by rebranding and renewing their commitment to delivering even more local stories.

The decision was made on December 11, 2025, when the Arkansas Educational Television Commission voted to disaffiliate from PBS.

However, the change will not be effective until July 1, 2026.

“Arkansas TV is our promise that visual storytelling—centered on the people, places, and experiences of our state—remains at the core of everything we do,” Executive Director and CEO Carlton Wing said. “As we embrace our new identity as Arkansas TV, we are also making strategic decisions to ensure a sustainable model for public television in Arkansas and our ability to serve Arkansans for generations to come.”

As of Thursday morning, the network formally known as Arkansas PBS and AETN will become Arkansas TV and move into a new era of service, honoring its mission to local storytelling, meaningful community partnerships, and more opportunities to celebrate the people and places that make our state extraordinary.

“Public television in Arkansas is not going away,” Wing said. “In fact, we invite you to join our vision for an increased focus on local programming, continuing to safeguard Arkansans in times of emergency and supporting our K-12 educators and students. We are profoundly grateful for the overwhelming support that donors, viewers and community partners have shown since this funding loss. We are confident that we can secure ongoing and increased support from individual donors, foundation partners and corporate sponsors who see the value in investing in new local programming that serves our state.”

Officials stated that this summer’s unexpected loss of $2.5 million in annual federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) presented formidable challenges. 

The commission reviewed operations, partnerships, and sustainability and found that neither the network nor its Foundation could make the annual PBS membership dues of nearly $2.5 million.

Officials stated that several new productions are currently in development. The new lineup coming in 2026 will feature two children’s series, two food-related series, two history series, and several others in the initial phases of development and fundraising.

Through June 30, 2026, viewers can expect little to no change to the broadcast programming lineup. 

Beginning July 1, 2026, the network is excited to deliver several new local shows, as well as favorites from the last 60 years. After July 1, 2026, there will remain a number of ways that PBS content can continue to be accessed.

The current PBS contract ends on June 30, 2026. Viewers will begin seeing our name change to “Arkansas TV” over the next several months on TV, our website, social media and email. 

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