Arkansas PBS' board of commissioners has nominated a state lawmaker to lead the public television network.
Republican state Rep. Carlton Wing’s nomination was approved by a unanimous vote in a meeting Wednesday. The nomination is a recommendation and not an official hiring decision.
The board will send a letter to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recommending Wing for the position. He will also need to step down from elected office before switching to the CEO role.
Wing previously held positions at television stations in Utah, Washington state and in Little Rock. He currently hosts a weekly show called "Arkansas’ Great Outdoors."
In a statement, Wing told Little Rock Public Radio:
"I’m very honored to receive the support of the board and look forward to the opportunity to work with an amazing group of people."
The decision comes months after Courtney Pledger resigned from her position as CEO of Arkansas PBS. Pledger had often clashed with state lawmakers, who felt the broadcaster was irresponsible with taxpayer dollars.
Sajni Kumpuris has served as interim director since May. Kumpuris had been in a leadership role at the broadcaster for about five years before the temporary appointment.
Meanwhile, Arkansas PBS is still reeling from national funding cuts. This year, Congress clawed back billions in funding for public media organizations across the country. Arkansas PBS lost $2.5 million, or around 15% of its budget.
At Wednesday's meeting, Arkansas PBS board members were cautiously optimistic. Kumpuris said the broadcaster has cut $1 million from its budget. But, they are leaning on other sources of funding more than ever before.
“Foundation also gave us a one time emergency fund,” Kumpuris said. “Which really is what helped us not go into reserves.”
Foundation refers to money from private, philanthropic and corporate donations. The next fiscal year, Arkansas PBS plans to use some foundation money as emergency funding.
One line item slated for the chopping block is funding for statewide emergency alerts, the system responsible for AMBER alerts and other warnings. Kumpuris says they may need to ask state lawmakers to cover the cost, calling it a “safety issue.”
“We can't let the towers be affected,” Kumpuris said.
Little Rock Public Radio and Arkansas PBS both receive funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
