Public Television Belongs To Us All

 
Marge Betley
Chief Executive Officer
Arkansas PBS Foundation

When I run into Arkansas PBS viewers around town – whether at the grocery store, coffee shop or community events – (which happens ALL THE TIME, and I love it) it’s always a pleasure to hear about the programs you’re enjoying. I love hearing from you, and even when you share something you’re not as fond of, I’m still eager to hear your feedback.

“I love hearing from you, and even when you share something you’re not as fond of, I’m still eager to hear your feedback.”

Lately, though, I’ve been hearing more expressions of concern about the future of public media. As many of you know, federal funding for public media has faced scrutiny recently. Some have raised questions about PBS’s impartiality and its reach to certain audiences. However, national PBS President Paula Kerger recently shared these encouraging insights that highlight the wide-ranging impact of PBS and the communities it serves:

• PBS serves a broad range of viewers across the political spectrum: about one-third identify as Democrats, one-third as Republicans and one-third as Independents.
• Nationally, around 60% of PBS’s audience lives outside of urban areas, and 55% of viewers live in rural communities.
• What’s especially powerful is that 56% of PBS viewers come from low-income households. For these families, PBS is a lifeline, offering educational programming that reaches more children in low-income homes than any other children’s network. This is especially important in Arkansas, where many families rely on PBS programming to help prepare their children for school.

Public funding allows PBS to serve everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, which is vital here in our state.

While Arkansas PBS is loved by many for our local productions like “DIRT” and “Unveiled: Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash” and national programs like “MASTERPIECE” and “Antiques Roadshow,” the broader impact of public media is undeniable.

Did you know that as Arkansas’s only statewide broadcaster, our 10 broadcast towers across the state bring our free over-the-air television signal to 96% of Arkansans? This is not only important for the reach of our educational programming, but also for the safety of all Arkansans. Through our network of towers, Arkansas PBS serves as the nerve center for Arkansas’s Emergency Alert System, providing statewide infrastructure for first-responder and homeland security services and helping protect citizens from tornadoes, floods and other severe weather events with life-saving alerts and messaging.

On May 1 and 2, we’ll celebrate Public Media Giving Days, a time to recognize the essential role and incredible value of public media and to express our deep gratitude to supporters like you. Your generosity makes everything we do possible – from trusted news and thought-provoking documentaries to enriching children’s programming and everything in between.

If you are part of the Arkansas PBS audience but have never contributed – there’s never been a more important time, or a better time to make a great impact. From now through May 2, gifts from new contributors will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $15,000, thanks to the generosity of our current members.

Whether you are a new donor or a current member, you can make your gift for Public Media Giving Days at myarpbs.org/donate.

YOU are the reason Arkansas PBS can continue to provide these essential services to everyone in our state, and for that, we are deeply grateful.