The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding to NPR and PBS, announced it will “begin an orderly wind-down of its operations.” In a Friday news release, CPB attributed the decision to the recent passage of the federal rescissions package, which “clawed back” $1.1 billion in funding, as well as the corporation’s exclusion — “for the first time in more than five decades” — from the FY2026 appropriations bill.
CPB is a private, nonprofit organization that allocates funding to over 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations across the country, according to its website.
Since its establishment by the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, the political content on most public media channels has leaned heavily to the left. As a result, every Republican presidential administration has attempted to defund it — and, by extension, the PBS and NPR-affiliated outlets it distributes funds to.
During his first term, President Donald Trump tried – unsuccessfully – to keep funding for public media out of his administration’s annual budgets.
After one final, fruitless attempt in 2020, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger issued a statement defending “the vital role that public television plays in homes and communities across the country. For 50 years, PBS has served as a trusted source for educational and thought-provoking programming, including school readiness initiatives for children, support for teachers and caregivers, public safety communications and lifelong learning across broadcast and digital platforms.”
CPB reiterated this position in Friday’s news release, stating to its supporters:
For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country. Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community.
Children’s programming and public safety alerts aside, PBS – and NPR as well – present a distorted perspective on political matters. They are indistinguishable from the legacy media in that they offer readers only one side of every story.
Trump vowed to try again and the second time around, he succeeded. This is a big win.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison expressed regret over the situation:
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. CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country. We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.
CPB reported that most “staff positions will conclude with the close of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025,” but “a small transition team will remain through January 2026 to ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations.”
Neera Tanden, a former top aide to President Joe Biden, called the news of CPB’s demise a tragedy.
Conservatives, of course, are delighted by it. Here are some of the reactions:
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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