The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is set to wind down its operations following the recent signing of a law by President Donald Trump that cuts $1.1 billion in federal funding for public broadcasting through fiscal year 2027.
This announcement comes on the heels of a largely partisan vote that approved these significant cuts as part of a $9 billion rescissions package proposed by the White House, which also included reductions to foreign aid.
Despite the advocacy efforts of countless Americans who reached out to Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, the Senate Appropriations Committee made the decision to decline restoring any of the funding during discussions last Thursday.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, “Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations.”
Harrison reassured that CPB remains committed to fulfilling its responsibilities while supporting partners through this difficult transition with transparency and care.
The CPB president highlighted the role of public media as a trusted institution in American society, emphasizing its contributions to education, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connections across the nation.
In light of the funding cuts, CPB has informed its employees that the majority of staff positions will be eliminated by the close of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025.
However, a small team will remain on board until January to manage compliance, fiscal distributions, and the resolution of long-term financial obligations, such as maintaining continuity for music rights and royalties crucial to the public media system.
Pointing out the historical context, Harrison noted that this marks the first time in nearly 60 years that Congress has failed to fund CPB, which was established to allocate federal funding to public media stations across the United States for programming and emergency alert systems.
The news has elicited shock and sadness throughout the public media community.
Tim Bruno, general manager of Radio Catskill, an NPR member station, reflected on the situation, saying, “I didn’t really see a day where this separate institution, which is set up to serve the public, would be shut down. I don’t know what stage of grief I’m in right now.”
Supporters of public broadcasting, including President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress, have criticized it—particularly NPR—claiming that it displays bias against conservatives and constitutes a misuse of taxpayer money.
Although NPR, which produces well-known programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered, receives only a small portion of its budget via federal funding, CPB grants constitute a significant revenue stream for its approximately 1,000 member stations, especially those in rural and lower-income areas.
PBS likewise depends on federal money, receiving around 15% of its revenue, which also affects its member stations.
In response to the looming closure, NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher issued a statement, indicating that the ripple effects of CPB’s closure would impact every public media organization and every community reliant on public broadcasting for essential services.
To mitigate the impact, NPR has pledged to assist locally owned, nonprofit public radio stations and support local journalism nationwide, emphasizing its commitment to uphold the values of independent journalism and cultural programming.
NPR will redirect $8 million from its budget to aid local stations facing crises due to the loss of CPB funding.
While certain Republican lawmakers have criticized public media, recent findings reveal that a significant portion of the American populace supports public broadcasting.
A Harris Poll conducted last month indicated that 66% of Americans favor federal funding for public radio, with 58% of Republicans and 77% of Democrats considering it a valuable use of taxpayer money.
This situation reflects a divide between political leadership and public opinion regarding the value and importance of public media in American society.
image source from：npr
