The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the primary funding body for public radio and television in the United States, announced it will begin an "orderly wind-down" of its operations following the elimination of federal funding.
The move comes after Congress voted in July 2025 to rescind $1.1 billion in funding for CPB over two fiscal years, part of a broader $9 billion budget rollback package supported by President Donald Trump. The vote effectively ends CPB’s ability to operate beyond early 2026.
In a statement, CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison acknowledged the closure, saying that despite widespread public opposition to the cuts, the organization must face the “difficult reality of closing operations.” Approximately 100 CPB staff positions will be eliminated by September 30, 2025. A small transition team will remain through January 2026 to manage legal compliance, grant closures, music rights, and other final obligations.
The loss of CPB will significantly affect more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations, including National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) affiliates, which rely on CPB grants for operations, programming, and infrastructure.
The decision was driven by Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration, which has long accused public broadcasters of promoting liberal bias. President Trump has labeled public broadcasting as “woke propaganda,” arguing that taxpayer dollars should not fund partisan content.
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has also targeted other U.S.-funded media entities. In March, he signed an executive order impacting the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the body responsible for outlets such as Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). VOA’s operations have been effectively halted since the order, and although RFE/RL secured a legal victory to restore partial funding, the broadcaster continues to downsize with the scale of its operations having been significantly curtailed and with more staff expected to be laid off in the future.