Aug 1, 2025 4:09 PM ET

What the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Shutting Down Means for PBS And NPR

by Nik Poplit
Reporter

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced on Friday that it would begin winding down its operations after President Donald Trump rescinded $1.1 billion in funding for the nonprofit, which for decades has helped sustain NPR, PBS, and hundreds of local public media stations across the country.]

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Founded in 1967 under the Public Broadcasting Act, CPB was created as a nonpartisan nonprofit to channel federal appropriations to public television and radio stations across the United States, including affiliates of PBS and NPR.

While national organizations like NPR and PBS generate their own revenue and receive only a small share of direct federal funding, their local member stations rely heavily on CPB grants. In many smaller and rural markets, federal money accounts for 25% or more of a station’s total budget.

In addition to distributing funding, the CPB also helped stations remain in legal compliance and negotiated system-wide rights, such as royalties for music and content use.

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