Alabama Educational Television Commission member resigns

Tijuanna Adetunji has resigned from the Alabama Educational Television Commission, leaving just one of the seven commission members who served on the board last month.

Gina Maiola, communications director for Gov. Kay Ivey confirmed Adetunji’s resignation Thursday afternoon but did not provide a reason. A request for further comment was left with Maiola Thursday afternoon.

Alabama Public Television Executive Director Wayne Reid said in a statement early Thursday evening Adetunji submitted her resignation letter last Thursday without explanation.

“With Tijuanna Adetunji’s resignation, the commission has experienced a complete turnover over the past twelve months,” Reid said. I have confidence that the Governor’s replacement appointment will bring another strong representative to the commission. APT will make an announcement once the appointment has been made. I look forward to working with the new commission and building on the exciting future ahead for Alabama Public Television.”

A message seeking comment was left with Adetunji  Thursday afternoon. According to the Alabama Public Television website, Ivey has not yet made a new appointment. Reid said APT is “hoping to hear something very soon (from Ivey) on the appointment.”

Adetunji served as the AETC’s Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District representative. She ran for the Alabama House of Representatives as a Republican in 2014 and as an independent candidate in 2018. Adetunji also ran for Montgomery City Council in 2015; she was not successful in the campaigns. 

Adetunji’s decision comes after Ivey removed five members from the commission earlier this month and after nearly a year of sometimes heated arguments among commissioners about maintaining affiliation with the Public Broadcasting Service.

Last October, then-commissioners Ferris Stephens and Les Barnett brought the idea to disaffilitate from PBS prompting public backlash from donors. In November, the commission voted to maintain PBS programming. Adetunji was not present for the November vote.

In September, the Alabama Educational Television Foundation Authority voted to fund a survey conducted by Cygnal, a polling firm that mainly works with Republican candidates, on Alabamians attitudes towards PBS. Adetunji voted against doing the survey.

The survey’s results showed 54% of viewers support APT continuing its PBS affiliation and 62% said they wanted public officials to stay out of programming decisions.

Adetunji leaves commissioner Logan Glass as the only member of the board to not be dismissed or removed over the last month.