The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is set to wind down its operations after its funding was cut by the Trump administration and Congress. The CPB, a private nonprofit founded in 1967, provides funds to 1,500 local public radio and television stations, including PBS and NPR. The organization has been the target of Republican criticism and has been preparing for possible cuts since Trump’s reelection. Both PBS and NPR have received roughly half a billion dollars in public funding through the CPB. PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher defended their organizations from accusations of bias in testimony before a House subcommittee. Maher warned that defunding public radio poses a real risk to the public safety of the country, with some NPR stations receiving over 50% of their budget from federal funding and may face layoffs and station closures. Rural areas would feel the largest impacts, as local stations provide vital alerts in emergencies like storms, floods, and wildfires.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the funder of NPR and PBS, plans to close its operations within months due to federal budget cuts.
