Corporation for Public Broadcasting plans closure by January 2026

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced Thursday that it will begin winding down its operations after Congress eliminated federal funding for the organization in fiscal year 2026.

The decision follows the passage of a rescissions package and the release of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s fiscal 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill, which excludes CPB funding for the first time in more than five decades.

“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,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison.

Founded in 1967, CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation that manages federal investment in public media. It supports the operations of more than 1,500 local public television and radio stations and has funded educational programming, journalism, emergency communications, and cultural content.

Most CPB staff positions will conclude with the close of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30.

A smaller transition team will remain in place through January 2026 to manage compliance tasks, final distributions and long-term financial obligations, including music licensing arrangements that support public media broadcasts.

Harrison said CPB will work closely with partners to manage the transition and fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities with “transparency and care.”

CPB’s board and management are coordinating efforts to address legal, financial, and operational aspects of the closure. The organization plans to issue regular updates to stations and producers affected by the loss of federal support.

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