The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which has provided funding for PBS and NPR, will begin winding down its operations after the non-profit had its funding cut.
For nearly 60 years, the corporation has been supporting public broadcasting, but it became a victim of the Trump administration’s effort to slash spending.
“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,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison.
“CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care,” she added.
The corporation had its funding clawed back by Republicans in Congress through the rescissions package passed earlier this month.
This week, it was revealed that the non-profit would not receive money in the federal budget bill for the first time in more than five decades.
The CPB said that it informed its employees on Friday that the majority of the staff will be let go at the end of September when the fiscal year ends.
Only a small number of employees will be kept on through January 2026 to close out all operations.
The CPB was created through Congress in 1967 and is responsible for helping provide non-commercial television and radio content, including support for educational content, emergency communications and local journalism.
More than 70 percent of its funds were distributed to 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations. Broadcasters supported by CPB last year alone delivered 11,000 life-saving emergency alerts.
“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,” Harrison said.
“We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people,” she concluded.
Republicans passed the rescissions package earlier this month, which included clawing back more than $1 billion for the CBP, which provides some funding to NPR and PBS.
CPB warned it would have a negative impact on Americans across the country, and that without federal funding, many local public radio and television stations would be forced to shut down.
This week, the Senate advanced a 2026 spending bill that provided no money for the CPB, further impacting its ability to keep the lights on.
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