The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the private organization responsible for channeling federal funds to a network of over a thousand public television and radio outlets nationwide including PBS and NPR, voted on Monday to formally dissolve itself. Founded in 1967, CPB has been a cornerstone in supporting public media through federal appropriations for more than five decades.
This resolution comes amid an ongoing wind-down of the corporation since Congress withdrew its operational funding in the previous summer, following persistent urging from former President Donald Trump. The organization's leadership determined that maintaining CPB as a non-operational shell entity would render it vulnerable to ongoing attacks and undermine the integrity and independence of the broader public media system.
Patricia Harrison, who serves as CPB's president and chief executive officer, stated that the corporation’s concluding move to dissolve is intended to protect the democratic values underpinning public media. She emphasized the risk posed by sustaining an unfunded CPB structure which could expose public media entities to additional pressure and interference.
The political impetus for funding cuts stemmed from Republican lawmakers’ longstanding criticism of public broadcasting, particularly allegations of partisan bias in its news coverage favoring liberal perspectives. However, actual defunding only occurred during the period of Republican control of Congress coinciding with President Trump’s second administration.
Ruby Calvert, chair of CPB's board of directors, conveyed the severe impact that the loss of federal funding has had on public media. Yet, she expressed optimism about the sector’s resilience, asserting confidence that a future Congress would recognize the essential role of public media in society. Calvert highlighted public media’s contributions to education, cultural preservation, and the maintenance of democratic ideals, which she underscored as critical, especially for younger generations.
In its final operational capacities, CPB continues to support preservation efforts through financial backing of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting, an initiative dedicated to safeguarding historic audio and video content from public media. Moreover, CPB is collaborating with the University of Maryland to ensure that its institutional records and historical documentation remain accessible and protected.
The decision to dissolve marks a significant turning point in the continuity of publicly funded media infrastructure in the United States, generating uncertainty about the future mechanisms for funding and coordination among public broadcasters.