“Mystery League” will be distributed nationally!

13 Feb 2025 in

We’ve been keeping a secret, and we can’t hold it in any longer! We are beyond excited to announce that the locally produced Arkansas PBS educational series “Mystery League” has been selected for national distribution!

“Mystery League” – a series designed to teach kids about friendship and community – will premiere nationally on PBS KIDS March 21. The series, which has already made a significant economic impact on Arkansas, will showcase the state’s educational excellence, creative production capabilities and unique cultural identity to a nationwide audience.

Walk through swamp land for Arkansas’s beginnings in “It Started Here: Early Arkansas and the Louisiana Purchase” with producer Larry Foley

10 Feb 2025 in

Did you know Arkansas played a pivotal role after President Thomas Jefferson finalized the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803? Jefferson bought the land “sight unseen,” but it turned out to be one of the largest land deals in history, securing about 512 million acres for $15 million. After President James Madison commissioned land surveying of the Louisiana territory in 1815, two land surveying teams met at a point in the Delta region of eastern Arkansas, establishing a point that would lead to 13 states being admitted to the Union.

Get creative this Valentine’s Day with recipes from “Cooking on the Wild Side”

07 Feb 2025 in

Why go out for dinner this Valentine’s Day when you have amazing recipes from the Arkansas PBS original production “Cooking on the Wild Side”? You won’t have to hit the “jump to recipe” button here – we deliver the goods right to you without the story of how it went over with the author’s family.

Each Saturday at 2:30 p.m., “Cooking on the Wild Side” brings back Phyllis Speer and John Philpot with mouth-watering recipes and endearing banter from the original “Arkansas Outdoors” series.  

Travel through time in “Dream Land: Little Rock’s West 9th Street

03 Feb 2025 in

Little Rock’s West Ninth Street was once a vibrant, African American business and entertainment district. Taborian Hall is the only remaining historic structure on West 9th Street and stands as a living witness to the street's former glory days. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Taborian Hall housed various important Black businesses, including professional offices, a USO, the Gem Pharmacy and the Dreamland Ballroom. By the 1930s, Dreamland was firmly established as a stop on the "Chitlin Circuit," which showcased regional and national African American bands and stage shows.

Learning about the deep-rooted history of “Arkansas’s First People” with producer Stephanie Lewis

24 Jan 2025 in

Arkansas has a deep-rooted history of Native American people. The Arkansas PBS original production “Arkansas’s First People” explores that history, taking viewers on a journey of the past, present and future, featuring unique perspectives on American Indian cultural legacy, archeological data and interviews with modern tribal representatives of those who had and still have an impact on Arkansas. “Arkansas’s First People,” produced by Stephanie Lewis, will air Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. as part of our “From the Archives” series.

Reminisce on Arkansas’s agricultural past in “Back Road Barns of Arkansas” with producer Kevin Clark

21 Jan 2025 in

“Barns are a part of our landscape, lining our roads like loyal ancient sentries,” Missouri State University Noel Boyd Professor of Ozarks Studies Brooks Blevins narrates. “Like a log and frame beacon of a lost world, they remind us of a past lived close to the dirt, of a time when we understood just how much we depend on the earth, a time when we worked the ground and communed with it. Weathered and worn, barns seemed to be an extension of the earth itself, crafted by hands long since returned to the soil. Imagined by minds no longer among us.

Demystifying cemeteries with “Silent Storytellers” producer Casey Sanders

15 Jan 2025 in

Cemeteries are often thought of as dark, sad places where loved ones who have passed away are buried. The Arkansas PBS original production “Silent Storytellers” shares stories of the lives etched on the stones, why cemeteries are important to the local community and how to take care of them. “Silent Storytellers,” produced by Arkansas PBS Producer Casey Sanders, will air Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. as part of our “From the Archives” series.

Behind the Scenes of “History on the Line: Preserving County Courthouses” with Producer Casey Sanders

08 Jan 2025 in

Whether you are a native Arkansan or a transplant, the Arkansas PBS original production “History on the Line: Preserving County Courthouses” generates a feeling of warmth from small-town Arkansas communities and an intimate look at those communities that hold their courthouses dearly. “History on the Line: Preserving County Courthouses” will air Thursday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. as part of our “From the Archives” series.

Arkansas PBS Wins Nine Mid-America Emmy Awards

28 Oct 2024 in

Arkansas PBS is honored to share that we have won nine regional Emmy Awards from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) for original, local productions!

“At Arkansas PBS, we are dedicated to being the storytellers of Arkansas, and this year’s recognition with nine prestigious regional Emmy Awards is a powerful affirmation of that mission,” Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger said. “Our team’s dedication to excellence and our community partnerships make this level of accomplishment possible.

A Brief History of The Northwest Passage

11 Oct 2024 in

Before you see Arkansan Adam Riley and Canadian Matty Clarke set out to row 2,200 miles of the Northwest Passage in handmade boats in our new documentary, “Passage,” airing Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m., let’s dive into its history and the travelers who came before.

The Halve Maen, captained by Henry Hudson in the 1600s.