Corporation for Public Broadcasting Closes, Threatening Hundreds of Public Media Stations Nationwide

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced it will shut down by the end of 2025 due to federal funding cuts, specifically a rescissions package that clawed back $1.1 billion previously approved for the organization. This closure disproportionately impacts smaller and rural public media outlets, which rely heavily on CPB funding for vital news, educational programming, and emergency alerts, with some stations receiving up to 90% of their budgets from federal support. CPB President Patricia Harrison expressed regret over the shutdown, citing despite widespread public efforts to preserve funding, the organization faces closure and massive job losses. The Trump administration and congressional Republicans achieved a long-sought goal by zeroing out CPB’s funding, a move praised by conservative commentators as a return to constitutional limits on federal government involvement in broadcasting. Critics warn that the loss of CPB will undermine democracy, endanger communities, and jeopardize decades of public media work that serves as a trusted institution across the country. Voices from Alaska to Texas have highlighted the critical role CPB-supported stations play in providing emergency alerts and reliable information, underscoring the severe consequences this shutdown will have on rural and underserved populations.