Alabama Public Television is debating whether to sever ties with PBS, cutting off Sesame Street and similar programs. If it did APT would be the first education network in the country to do so.<\/p>\n
Federal funding cuts are at the heart of the issue.<\/p>\n
In July, President Donald Trump cut $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. On Tuesday, at a public meeting, APT board members and commissioners discussed the possible ramifications, both monetarily and politically, of continuing its longtime partnership with PBS. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to be very careful about deciding whether to sever that relationship,\u201d APT Board Member Johnny Curry said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you sever it, you\u2019ve got to come up with 90% of your programming to replace, and that includes all of the educational programming the children watch during the day, which is the main mission of this institution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most of CPB\u2019s funding is distributed to more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations around the country. <\/p>\n
Wayne Reid, executive director for Alabama Public Television, said APT lost over $2.8 million in grant funding from the CPB<\/a>, which is about 13% of the total annual budget.<\/p>\n The meeting<\/p>\n The PBS partnership was not on the meeting agenda, although some board members were eager to discuss it. <\/p>\n While some board members had no idea PBS would be discussed, others came with strong arguments and even written plans on steps to disaffiliate from the public media giant. <\/p>\n \u201cI really wasn\u2019t prepared to hear about severing the ties,\u201d APT Commissioner Pete Conroy said.<\/p>\n \u201cDiscussions like this need to take place, but they need to have been noticed properly\u2026Had I known what was coming, I would have been better prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n On the other hand, APT Commissioner Les Barnett Zoomed into the meeting with a five-page document outlining a plan for disaffiliation from PBS, including examples of alternative programming. <\/p>\n Barnett and Commissioner William Green argued that continuing APT\u2019s partnership with PBS could send a bad message to politicians like Trump, State Gov. Kay Ivey and the Republican majority House and Senate. <\/p>\n \u201cThat needs to be under consideration, PBS\u2019s negative impact on Alabama Public Television, and how it affects our ability to get money from the more conservative leaders in this state,\u201d Green said. <\/p>\n \u201cPBS has made themselves the enemy,\u201d Barnett said.<\/p>\n Conroy and other board members agreed that more discussion is needed before a final decision is voted on.<\/p>\n \u201cFor goodness sake, this is the future of this organization,\u201d Conroy said. <\/p>\n Why it matters<\/p>\n APT is the nation\u2019s first educational television network. <\/p>\n U.S. voters place more trust in public media than media overall, according to a national survey<\/a>. <\/p>\n The survey also found that 53% of U.S. voters are against eliminating all federal funding for public media, compared to 44% in support of doing so.<\/p>\n APT is already being affected by the federal funding cuts to public broadcasting. <\/p>\n In September, APT laid off 11 employees<\/a>, about 15% of its staff, after the federal funding cuts.<\/p>\n Of all of APT\u2019s content, 90% comes from PBS. <\/p>\n Without PBS, APT will lose access to hallmark educational and news programming like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers\u2019 Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger\u2019s Neighborhood, and PBS News Hour. <\/p>\n One direct effect will be on a religious school in Hoover, where about 300 kids gather in the auditorium to watch Daniel Tiger\u2019s Neighborhood, based on a character originally from Mr. Rogers\u2019 Neighborhood, on a projector screen every morning. <\/p>\n \u201cChurch leaders are saying it\u2019s just the most beautiful way to start the day, and it\u2019s become a tradition and a pattern,\u201d Conroy said. <\/p>\n \u201cI grew up with Mr. Rogers\u2026I bet your folks, or your folks\u2019 folks remember Sesame Street, and it\u2019s kind of the backbone of the American experience in many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s next<\/p>\n Board Member Bebe Williams suggested the board find out if APT can pick and choose what PBS programming they run before deciding whether to disaffiliate. <\/p>\n Some board members also said they will continue looking into alterative programming. <\/p>\n The next APT meeting will be on Nov. 18. <\/p>\n Conroy said he hopes the public and legislators will voice their opinions about the possible severance from PBS. <\/p>\n \u201cI would like to think that we would have time to deliberate and really get everyone\u2019s opinions before we make decisions that can\u2019t be undone,\u201d Conroy said. <\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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