The fallout from the Trump administration’s dramatic cuts to American public media is only just beginning.

The governing group that oversees public educational TV in Arkansas voted on Thursday to split with PBS, the national public broadcast network best known for Sesame Street. The network formerly known as Arkansas PBS will rebrand as Arkansas TV, making it the first state public broadcast network to part with the national network synonymous with public access TV.

The state network will officially sever its ties to PBS on July 1, 2026, at the beginning of Arkansas’ next fiscal year. Its commission framed the decision as a cost saving measure, citing a loss of the federal funds it relies on to pay annual dues of around $2.5 million to access PBS programming. The organization’s commissio

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