This week on monday, the CPB's board of directors held a unanimous vote to formally shut down the organization after 58 years of service to public media in the United States.
The CPB was a non-profit steward of federal funding to public broadcasting, distributing money support NPR, PBS, and over 1,500 local public radio and TV stations nationwide. It ensured access to non-commercial programming, educational content (most notably
Sesame Street), emergency alerts, and services in rural and underserved areas. The justification behind the CPB's closure was made following executive order in May of 2025 from POTUS Donald Trump, effectively stripping the CPB of federal funding after allegedly pushing "biased media". Additionally in July of 2025, Congress passed a rescissions package eliminating CPB's advance appropriations. By August of 2025, the CPB had already begun laying off most of its employees and shutting down operations.
While NPR and PBS continue to operate, the future of many small television and radio stations around the country remains unclear. Without federal funding, hundreds of local providers may now have to rely on private funding to continue operating. While smaller or rural stations face significant challenges or potential closures, larger ones and national networks are adapting.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporation_for_Public_Broadcasting