PBS Stripped of Funding in Major State

(NewsReady.com) – Republicans have long had an issue with the government funding PBS. In 2011, GOP lawmakers recommended stripping funding from the network because they believed it was too liberal-leaning. A conservative governor has now stripped funding from the network that airs PBS.

At the end of April, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) vetoed funding for Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA). The network airs PBS, which now includes some content geared toward the LGBTQ community. The governor held a press conference and said he decided to axe the funding because he doesn’t believe residents in his state want their tax dollars to be spent on programming that “indoctrinate[s] kids.”

Stitt appeared on Fox Business this week, and he was asked about his remarks about PBS. The governor didn’t back down. He asked, “Why are we using taxpayer dollars to fund a public television station?” Stitt went on to say the system is “outdated” and pointed out that more than a dozen other states do not pay for it. Second, he said that some of the programs on the network don’t align with “Oklahoma values” and asked why the state has been using its funds “to overly sexualize or indoctrinate children.”

"Why are we using taxpayer dollars to overly sexualize or indoctrinate children?" — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on vetoing funding for PBS pic.twitter.com/iKOrxfVkq1

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 8, 2023

The governor’s office has provided examples of content he believes is inappropriate for children. “Clifford the Big Red Dog” has introduced an LGBTQ character, also the “Odd Squad” featured a same-sex marriage, and there was Pride Month content.

Critics have slammed the governor for being anti-education. State Rep. Monroe Nichols (D) said the governor is attacking “public education and underrepresented” communities. The attacks have rolled right off of his back, calling the lawmaker’s criticism “nonsense.” He has increased education funding by about 15%, increasing it by more than $1 billion. He said people should be teaching kids about words and numbers, not the information in the shows that were on PBS.