On August 1, 2025, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced it will cease operations by January 2026, following the elimination of $1.1 billion in federal funding by Congress, a move spearheaded by President Donald Trump. This decision marks the end of nearly six decades of CPB’s role as a vital supporter of public media, including National Public Radio (NPR), the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and over 1,500 local radio and television stations across the United States. The shutdown, prompted by a rescissions package signed in July 2025 and the Senate Appropriations Committee’s exclusion of CPB funding for fiscal year 2026, will have significant repercussions for the public media landscape, particularly for rural communities and local stations.
While NPR and PBS have pledged to continue operations, leaning on private donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation support, the loss of CPB’s infrastructure—such as music rights negotiations and technical support—adds further challenges. Rural stations like KBRW in Alaska or WDIY in Pennsylvania, where CPB funds constitute up to 25-90% of budgets, face the greatest risk of going dark, potentially exacerbating the decline of local journalism in areas already underserved by commercial media. The extent of the importance of such rural stations may be overstated, as newer generations have become acclimated to utilizing modern technology for news.
As CPB begins its “orderly wind-down,” laying off most of its roughly 100 employees by September 30, 2025, public media advocates are calling for private philanthropy to fill the gap. NPR CEO Katherine Maher emphasized the need to support local stations to maintain “independent journalism and cultural programming,” while PBS vowed to build on CPB’s legacy. However, without federal backing, the interconnected public media system faces a precarious future, with the potential for a “doom loop” of failing stations and reduced content production threatening its long-term viability.
SOURCES:
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Will Shut Down – The New York Times
Corporation for Public Broadcasting to shut down after Congress pulls funding
