The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a pillar of American public media for over five decades, announced on Friday it will cease operations by September 30, 2025, following a sweeping rescissions bill signed by President Donald Trump that revoked $1.1 billion in federal funding earmarked through 2027.
This unprecedented move marks the first time since CPB’s creation in 1967 that Congress has withdrawn all federal support for the organization. The bill, part of a broader $9 billion rollback in government spending, also included cuts to foreign aid.
Despite widespread public advocacy efforts including petitions, letters, and calls – finalized the defunding, leaving CPB with no viable path forward.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison stated that the organization is working to ensure a transparent and orderly shutdown.
Most of CPB’s 100 staff members will be let go by the end of September, with a small transition team operating through January 2026 to manage fiscal obligations, including music royalties and compliance duties.
The impact is expected to be most severe for rural PBS and NPR stations, many of which rely on CPB for over 90% of their operational funding. Nationally, CPB contributed about 10% to public television funding and 4% to public radio as of 2023.
NPR and PBS executives expressed deep concern over the closure. NPR CEO Katherine Maher warned of ripple effects across local journalism and cultural programming, while PBS reaffirmed its commitment to serving the public despite the setback.
While Republicans cited longstanding grievances over perceived media bias, a recent Harris Poll indicated that 66% of Americans – including a majority of Republicans – still support federal funding for public broadcasting.
The closure of CPB symbolizes a dramatic shift in U.S. media policy and the weakening of a once-bipartisan public service infrastructure.