Alabama Public Television may cut ties with PBS, cutting off Sesame Street, other educational shows

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.

Federal funding cuts are at the heart of the issue.

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.

“We have to be very careful about deciding whether to sever that relationship,” APT Board Member Johnny Curry said.

“If you sever it, you’ve 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.”

Most of CPB’s funding is distributed to more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations around the country.

Wayne Reid, executive director for Alabama Public Television, said APT lost over $2.8 million in grant funding from the CPB, which is about 13% of the total annual budget.

The meeting

The PBS partnership was not on the meeting agenda, although some board members were eager to discuss it.

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.

“I really wasn’t prepared to hear about severing the ties,” APT Commissioner Pete Conroy said.

“Discussions like this need to take place, but they need to have been noticed properly…Had I known what was coming, I would have been better prepared.”

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.

Barnett and Commissioner William Green argued that continuing APT’s partnership with PBS could send a bad message to politicians like Trump, State Gov. Kay Ivey and the Republican majority House and Senate.

“That needs to be under consideration, PBS’s negative impact on Alabama Public Television, and how it affects our ability to get money from the more conservative leaders in this state,” Green said.

“PBS has made themselves the enemy,” Barnett said.

Conroy and other board members agreed that more discussion is needed before a final decision is voted on.

“For goodness sake, this is the future of this organization,” Conroy said.

Why it matters

APT is the nation’s first educational television network.

U.S. voters place more trust in public media than media overall, according to a national survey.

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.

APT is already being affected by the federal funding cuts to public broadcasting.

In September, APT laid off 11 employees, about 15% of its staff, after the federal funding cuts.

Of all of APT’s content, 90% comes from PBS.

Without PBS, APT will lose access to hallmark educational and news programming like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and PBS News Hour.

One direct effect will be on a religious school in Hoover, where about 300 kids gather in the auditorium to watch Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, based on a character originally from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, on a projector screen every morning.

“Church leaders are saying it’s just the most beautiful way to start the day, and it’s become a tradition and a pattern,” Conroy said.

“I grew up with Mr. Rogers…I bet your folks, or your folks’ folks remember Sesame Street, and it’s kind of the backbone of the American experience in many ways.”

What’s next

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.

Some board members also said they will continue looking into alterative programming.

The next APT meeting will be on Nov. 18.

Conroy said he hopes the public and legislators will voice their opinions about the possible severance from PBS.

“I would like to think that we would have time to deliberate and really get everyone’s opinions before we make decisions that can’t be undone,” Conroy said.

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