Public Broadcasting Corporation to close due to funding cuts
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will be shut down after Congress provides $1 billion in funding.
The nonprofit organization, which has operated for more than half a century and has been responsible for funding public media giants NPR and PBS, will be dissolved in the wake of multimillion-dollar budget cuts pushed by the Trump administration.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)’s board of directors voted to dissolve the organization on January 5 after Congress voted in July to withdraw $1.1 billion appropriated for its use. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has rallied against CPB, NPR, and PBS, accusing them of not providing a “fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpayers.” President Trump has repeatedly targeted news organizations he perceives to be broadcasting content unfavorable to his administration.
As USA TODAY previously reported, CPB blamed the closure on a lack of funding and “sustained political attacks” and said it no longer functions as intended when it was founded in 1967.
CPB was a major financier of NPR, PBS, and related stations and real estate. Both organizations have previously warned that they would struggle to continue operating without federal funding.
What is Public Broadcasting Corporation?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization established by Congress under the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. Its purpose was to provide funding and support to public media across the United States to enable broader and more equitable access to information and education.
CPB provides millions of dollars in grants to local public access television and radio stations, according to its website.
The company is best known for funding National Public Radio (NPR), which includes hundreds of local news sources and a network of community radio programs across the country, and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which broadcasts educational television such as “Sesame Street,” concerts, cooking shows, documentaries, news and weather alerts. It was once home to other popular shows such as “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and Bob Ross’ “The Joy of Painting.”
What happened to CPB?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s board of directors voted on Monday, January 5, to dissolve the corporation following funding cuts.
CPB had previously announced it would close on August 1, 2025, following cuts of more than $1 billion in federal funding to the organization, USA TODAY previously reported.
“For more than half a century, CPB has existed to ensure that all Americans, regardless of geography, income or background, have access to trusted news, educational programming and local stories,” President and CEO Patricia Harrison said in a press release. “With the Administration and Congress revoking federal funding, our board faced a significant responsibility. CPB’s ultimate action will be to protect the integrity of our public media system and our democratic values by dissolving the organization rather than leaving it defunded and vulnerable to further attacks.”
The corporation said it would keep some employees on board for an “orderly closure,” which would include distributing remaining funds and assisting the Archives of American Public Broadcasting in its efforts to preserve “historic content.” The company has partnered with the University of Maryland to preserve its own archives, which the corporation announced it would make available to the public.
Will NPR and PBS be shut down?
Although NPR and PBS as a whole will not be “shut down,” at least for now, many related facilities, especially those in rural and low-income areas, may be hit. CPB accounted for a significant portion, but not all, of NPR and PBS’s funding. That means both organizations will need to find other ways to fill the multimillion-dollar gap.
CPB said 70% of federal funds went to locally owned public media stations, reaching about 99% of Americans. PBS supporters previously told USA TODAY that budget cuts could disproportionately impact local areas and worsen existing news and information deserts. It is unclear at this time how many programs may be affected.
Some trademark shows at risk are seeking other solutions, such as “Sesame Street”‘s recent deal with Netflix.
USA TODAY has reached out to NPR and PBS for comment.
Contributor: Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press. BreeAnna J. Frank, USA TODAY
