The United States Public Broadcasting Corporation (CPB) announced on Friday (August 1) that it will be ceasing its operations due to the loss of federal funding. This is a significant blow to local television and radio stations that have relied on its support for nearly sixty years.
Last month, the U.S. Congress passed a budget-cutting bill that reduced spending by $9 billion, with a major focus on funding for public media and foreign aid. President Trump has signed the bill into law.
The budget cuts in the bill include approximately $1.1 billion that was originally allocated to CPB. CPB is responsible for distributing federal funds to over 1,500 local television and radio stations across the United States, including National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
In a statement released on Friday, CPB, which has a 57-year history, stated that the company will begin an “orderly” shutdown of its operations.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said, “Despite significant efforts by millions of Americans who made great efforts through calls, letters, and petitions requesting Congress to maintain federal funding for CPB, we are now faced with the difficult reality of shutting down operations. CPB has always been committed to fulfilling its entrusted responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transitional period with transparency and prudence.”
According to the statement from CPB, the company has issued notices on Friday that most employee positions will be eliminated by the end of the 2025 fiscal year (September 30), with a small transitional team remaining until January 2026 to ensure that CPB completes its operations in a responsible and orderly manner.
President Trump and many Republicans believe that using taxpayer funds to support public broadcasting is unnecessary government spending, while also alleging bias against conservatism in PBS and NPR programs.
CPB stated in the announcement that the board of directors and management are working closely to address the “legal, financial, and operational requirements” necessitated by CPB’s closure. CPB will provide regular updates and guidance to radio stations and producers to help them navigate the future challenges.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, the Trump administration has been significantly cutting foreign aid and public broadcasting budgets, implementing the “America First” policy, and emphasizing efficiency and waste reduction.
On January 25, President Trump signed an executive order suspending all non-emergency foreign aid programs, only maintaining military aid to Israel and Egypt and some emergency medical assistance. In March, funding for external media organizations like Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia was further frozen. On May 1, Trump signed another executive order terminating all federal funding to NPR and PBS.