The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will begin an orderly wind-down of its operations following the elimination of federal support in the latest Congressional budget package. The move comes after more than half a century of public funding and programming support for radio and television stations nationwide.
The Senate Appropriations Committee’s draft FY 2026 Labor-HHS appropriations bill excluded CPB funding for the first time since the organization’s founding in 1967. Combined with cuts already enacted in this year’s federal rescissions package, CPB says the financial runway has closed.
The Senate’s budget blueprint follows Executive Order 14290, signed by President Donald Trump in May, which directed CPB to end all current and future federal funding for NPR and PBS, citing claims of partisan bias. The order also requires agencies to terminate any indirect funding to the networks, enforce grant restrictions retroactively, and investigate public broadcasters for violations of federal anti-DEI policies.
That order now faces multiple legal challenges.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting President and CEO Patricia Harrison said, “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.”
Most staff positions will conclude at the end of the fiscal year on September 30. A smaller transition team will remain in place through January 2026 to ensure compliance, manage final distributions, and resolve long-term financial obligations. CPB leadership says maintaining continuity for music rights and royalties across public stations is a key priority during the transition.
“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,” said Harrison. “We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.”
CPB’s Board and executive team say they will continue to support local stations and producers through the transition, offering operational guidance and updates throughout the closure process.
News of the impending closure drew a variety of responses across the weekend, including celebrations from Republicans and condemnations from Democrats.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher commented, “CPB upheld the core values of the Public Broadcasting Act, including support for diverse voices, promotion of excellence and creative risk, and advancing service for the unserved and underserved. It empowered countless journalists, producers, and educators to create programming that has enriched lives, fostered understanding, and held power accountable. The ripple effects of this closure will be felt across every public media organization and, more importantly, in every community across the country that relies on public broadcasting.”
In the face of CPB funding loss, NPR has already taken emergency financial steps to protect its member stations, particularly those most at risk. Maher announced the organization will cut $8 million from its own operating budget and redirect those funds to support local stations facing acute revenue gaps, many in rural or underserved markets. The rescission is expected to cost public radio stations an estimated $350 million per year over the next two years.
