MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) 鈥� Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday urged the board that oversees Alabama Public Television to delay any decision on severing ties with PBS until it has studied Alabamians鈥� opinions on the matter and developed a plan for what comes next.
The Republican governor sent a letter to the Alabama Educational Television Commission ahead of a planned meeting Tuesday in which commissioners were expected to discuss disaffiliation.
Some commission members had due to federal budget cuts, President Donald Trump鈥檚 and accusations of bias raised against NPR and PBS news programs by Trump and other conservatives. A decision to separate from PBS would mean Alabama Public Television would no longer air PBS programs, including 鈥淪esame Street,鈥� 鈥淒aniel Tiger鈥檚 Neighborhood,鈥� 鈥淎ntiques Roadshow鈥� and 鈥淧BS 草莓传媒Hour.鈥�
鈥淲hile I鈥檓 sympathetic to the concerns that may be prompting this proposal, such a sweeping, immediate action, especially if taken unilaterally by the executive branch, should be undertaken only after a thorough planning process and only with a thorough understanding of public opinion,鈥� Ivey wrote.
Ivey asked the commission to conduct an extended survey of Alabama voters 鈥渢o ensure their voices are heard.鈥� She said the commission should also develop a separation plan that 鈥渟hould be available for public review for a considerable length of time before any vote is taken.鈥�
The idea of dropping PBS arose at the October commission meeting. Alabama Public Television Executive Director Wayne Reid said some commissioners asked him to research the possibility and ramifications of ending the contract with PBS.
The possibility prompted a backlash from Alabama public television viewers and donors. Petitions and posts were shared across social media, urging people to 鈥淪ave PBS for Alabama Children鈥� and 鈥淒on鈥檛 let Alabama send Elmo packing.鈥�
Commissioners were divided at an Oct. 28 meeting, according to the and .
鈥淚 just, I don鈥檛 want to fund it, PBS has made themselves the enemy of what I stand with, and so I do not like them, and I don鈥檛 follow the philosophy of feeding the beast,鈥� commission member Les Barnett said during the meeting, according to the Alabama Reflector.
Alabama Public Television pays about $2.2 million yearly for PBS programming.
The governor said it is imperative that APT programming 鈥渁lign with Alabama values,鈥� but said the decision should be made in 鈥渃ollaboration” among stakeholders.
The governor’s letter did not offer a direct position on PBS.
Pete Conroy, a commission member who is in favor of keeping PBS, said he was pleased that Ivey urged the commission to seek more input.
鈥淔irst and foremost, it’s apparent that people in Alabama like PBS the way it is. But in any business decision, it should be researched before it’s made,鈥� Conroy said.
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