Washington DC [US], August 2 : The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) on Friday (local time) announced that it will begin an orderly wind-down of operations following the passage of a federal rescissions package and the release of the Senate Appropriations Committee's FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) appropriations bill.
The CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation authorised by the US Congress in 1967, has served as the steward of federal investment in public broadcasting for nearly six decades.
The organisation said this marks the first time in more than 50 years that it has been excluded from receiving federal funding.
"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", it said in its statement.
Citing the President and CEO Patricia Harrison, the statement noted, "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."
As per the statement, the CPB informed its employees that the majority of staff positions will conclude with the close of the fiscal year on September 30, later this year. A small transition team will remain through January 2026 to ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations.
"This team will focus on compliance, final distributions, and resolution of long-term financial obligations, including ensuring continuity for music rights and royalties that remain essential to the public media system", the statement read.
CPB CEO Harrison thanked the partners for their dedication towards serving the American people. He remarked, "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."
According to the statement, CPB's Board of Directors and management are working closely to address the legal, financial, and operational requirements of the closure. CPB mentioned that it would provide regular updates and guidance to stations and producers navigating the profound challenges ahead.
The CPB helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. It is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related online services.
The CPB allocates funds to NPR and PBS.
The National Public Radio (NPR), is an independent, nonprofit media organization. As per the official website of NPR, millions of Americans are on the air, online, and in person to explore the news here.
It mentioned that NPR garners 43 million listeners and readers across platforms, 32 bureaus across the world and 29.1 million weekly on-air listeners.
As per the official website of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), it is a private, nonprofit corporation, founded in 1969, whose members are America's public TV stations. It is available to all of America's children, including those who can't attend preschool, and offers educational media that help prepare children for success in school. Some of its prominent shows include Sesame Street.