The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the publicly funded non-profit which funnels federal funds to nearly 1,500 in the United States, including PBS/PBS Kids and NPR, announced Friday that it will be shutting down operations due to a loss of federal funding. On Thursday, President Trump signed into law a bill which rescinds $1.1 billion in funding for public broadcasting through to fiscal year 2027.
The bill, voted on last month, included $9 billion in cuts, including programs like foreign aid. The Senate Appropriations Committee declined to reinstate any funding to CPB in spite of vigorous protest from we the people. The CPB was established by Congress in 1967.
In a statement, CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said:
“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 remains committed to fulfilling responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.
“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. We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.”
The roughly 100 employees of the CPB were informed Friday that the majority of staff positions will dispatched with on September 30, leaving a small transition team in place through January 2026.
CPB’s Board of Directors and management are now working to address the legal, financial and operational requirements of the closure. The organization will continue to provide regular updates and guidance to stations and producers navigating the challenges ahead.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was already reeling from the Trump Administration canceling the Ready to Learn grant, provides federal funding support to many animated series which provide beneficial early childhood education to kids across the country. These include established hits like Ready Jet Go!, Peg + Cat, Super Why!, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about That! and Molly of Denali, as well as more recently launched and upcoming series including Elinor Wonders Why, Alma’s Way, City Island, Carl the Collector, Acoustic Rooster, Phoebe & Jay and Work It Out, Wombats!
