Corporation for Public Broadcasting Closing After Nearly 60 Years
· BCPosted in: streaming, TV, YouTube | Tagged: CPB, NPR, pbs
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Closing After Nearly 60 Years
Due to financial cuts, the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (local stations, PBS, NPR) voted to close after nearly 60 years.
Published Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:37:04 -0600
by Ray Flook
|
Comments
When the U.S. Congress rubber-stamped Donald Trump's MARD (Make America REALLY Dumb) campaign by approving his $9 billion rescission package, which included stripping $1.1 billion in funding from PBS, NPR, and others under the umbrella of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) over the next two years, the signs were there. In August, the CPB announced that it would begin shutting down operations. Employees were informed that "the majority of staff positions will conclude with the close of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025." Following that, "a small transition team will remain through January 2026 to ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations," focusing on compliance matters, final distributions, and resolving long-term financial matters (including "ensuring continuity for music rights and royalties that remain essential to the public media system").
Unfortunately, the other shoe dropped earlier today, with the CBP board voting to dissolve the organization, as it was no longer able to maintain its basic operations due to the cuts. Initially formed by an act of Congress in 1967, the CPB was charged with funding local stations, NPR, and PBS. Remaining CPB funds will be distributed, and the American Archive of Public Broadcasting will continue to be supported (with the CPB archives being preserved in a partnership with the University of Maryland).
Patricia Harrison, the president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, said in a statement, "When the Administration and Congress rescinded federal funding, our Board faced a profound responsibility: CPB's final act would be to protect the integrity of the public media system and the democratic values by dissolving, rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks."
Ruby Calvert, chair of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting board of directors, added, "What has happened to public media is devastating. After nearly six decades of innovative, educational public television and radio service, Congress eliminated all funding for CPB, leaving the Board with no way to continue the organization or support the public media system that depends on it. Yet, even in this moment, I am convinced that public media will survive, and that a new Congress will address public media's role in our country because it is critical to our children's education, our history, culture, and democracy to do so."
Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!