Oklahoma Gov Stitts: Nixing money for PBS station biz decision, result of 'problematic' kid content

Oklahoma GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt says his move to effectively cut off funding for the state's PBS affiliate TV station was a business decision and in response to over-sexualized children's programing. 

Stitt last week vetoed a bill that would have funded operations of the state's PBS station, Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, through 2026.

"OETA, to us, is an outdated system," the governor recently told Fox News Digital. "The big, big question is why are we spending taxpayer dollars to prop up or compete with the private sector and run television stations?"

He also said: "All of the programing that's happening and the indoctrination and over-sexualization of our children, it's just really problematic, and it doesn't line up with Oklahoma values."

OETA did not respond to Fox Digital's request for comment. 

Unless the legislature is able to override his veto, the state PBS network will cease operations this year. 

The governor’s office pointed to such content as a segment of "Let's Learn" in which a children’s book titled "The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish" is read by someone called Lil Miss Hot Mess. 

The office also pointed to a "PBS Newshour" feature on parents’ support for various gender-care treatments including puberty blockers, a gay character in "Work It Out Wombats," which airs on OETA, and PBS Kids’ "Clifford the Big Red Dog" introducing LGBTQ characters.