The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which directs federal funds to local public TV and radio stations, says it will shut down after having those federal dollars taken away.The decision comes a few weeks after Congress passed a bill that included Trump administration priorities of tax cuts, cuts to Medicaid, increased spending for defense and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among many other things. The bill, which President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, also included the rescission of $1.1 billion in previously approved funding for CPB.The CPB said on Friday that it will lay off the majority of its staff by the end of its fiscal year on Sept. 30, with a “small transition team” remaining through January 2026 to finish winding down operations and ensuring final distribution of CPB funds to local stations.“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 statement. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary 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.”Money from the CPB has provided partial funding to PBS TV stations and National Public Radio outlets, though the majority of most stations’ budgets come from donations and corporate grants. It is the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio and TV stations. CPB also funds documentary filmmakers through ITVS.“These cuts will significantly impact all of our stations, but will be especially devastating to smaller stations and those serving large rural areas,” PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger said in July. “Many of our stations which provide access to free unique local programming and emergency alerts will now be forced to make hard decisions in the weeks and months ahead.”
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