Overview:
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will shut down and lay off most staff by September 30 after Congress cut its $1.1 billion in federal funding, following pressure from President Trump.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced Friday that it will begin a “wind-down of its operations” and cut a majority of its jobs by the end of September following Congress’s approval to cut $1.1 billion in its federal funding.
On Friday, PBS told its employees that the majority of staff positions will be cut by Sept. 30, with only a small transition team remaining through January 2026 to ensure “a responsible and orderly closeout of operations.”
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation established by Congress in 1967, serves as the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations across the nation. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related online services.
“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,” CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said in a news release. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”
For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country. Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community.
CPB’s shuttering comes after Republicans passed a package earlier this month, which included zeroing out two years’ worth of funding — $1.1 billion — for CBP. The move was a part of President Donald Trump’s request to claw back $9 billion from the federal budget in his Big Beautiful Bill, with Trump threatening to withhold support for any Republican who voted against it.
Both PBS and NPR, the most high-profile public media organizations, have been the target of Republican criticism and have been preparing for the possibility of cuts since Trump’s reelection in November. In March, PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher went before a House subcommittee and defended accusations that their organizations were biased.
On his social media channel on July 10, Trump made his plans clear. “It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions [sic] Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN & MSDNC put together. Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote on his social media channel on July 10.
“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.”
According to NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher, the ripple effects would be felt “across every public media organization and, more importantly, in every community across the country that relies on public broadcasting.”
Maher has pledged to step up and take $8 million from it’s budget to help local stations to “support locally owned, nonprofit public radio stations and local journalism across the country, working to maintain public media’s promise of universal service, and upholding the highest standards for independent journalism and cultural programming in service of our nation.”
CPB’s Board of Directors and management are working closely to address the legal, financial, and operational requirements of the closure. CPB will provide regular updates and guidance to stations and producers as they navigate the profound challenges ahead.
