Public broadcasting, as we know it, is hitting the end of the road. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), long a fixture of taxpayer-funded media, is starting to shutter its doors after a seismic shift in federal priorities.
Breitbart reported that the CPB announced on Friday that it’s initiating an orderly wind-down of operations, a move spurred by a complete cutoff of federal funding following actions by President Donald Trump and Congress.
Let’s rewind to May, when President Trump signed an executive order halting funds to NPR and PBS, calling out what he sees as political bias in publicly funded outlets.
“No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies,” Trump declared via the order. Well, that’s a sharp jab at the notion of government-backed journalism, and it’s hard to argue that taxpayers should bankroll anything less than neutral reporting.
Trump doubled down, stating, “Americans have the right to expect fair, accurate, and nonpartisan coverage if their tax dollars are funding it.” That’s a fair expectation, though some might say it’s a tall order in today’s polarized media landscape.
Fast forward to July, when Congress passed a hefty $9 billion rescissions package, slashing $1.1 billion from the CPB while carving $8 billion out of foreign aid programs. It’s a clear signal that fiscal hawks are done footing the bill for what many conservatives view as a progressive agenda.
Then came the Senate’s move with the FY 2026 appropriations bill, specifically the Labor-HHS bill, which—for the first time since CPB’s founding in 1967—left the organization out in the cold with zero funding. That’s not just a cut; it’s a full-on eviction notice.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison broke the tough news that most staff positions will be gone by the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025.
A skeleton crew will stick around until January 2026 to tie up loose ends like legal obligations and royalty contracts. It’s a somber end for an entity that’s been around for nearly six decades.
Harrison reflected on the legacy, saying, “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.” That’s a noble mission, no doubt, but when trust is questioned by half the nation, the funding fight was inevitable.
She also expressed gratitude, noting, “We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people.” It’s a classy farewell, though it doesn’t change the reality of the shutdown.
Conservative lawmakers have long criticized CPB’s ties to NPR and PBS, arguing these outlets often lean left, pushing what they call a progressive ideology.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) didn’t mince words, stating, “The American people will no longer be forced to fund politically biased media.” That’s a win for those who’ve felt their tax dollars were propping up a one-sided narrative.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) took it further, declaring, “The woke and weaponized NPR, PBS, and USAID have been ELIMINATED.” While the rhetoric is fiery, it captures the frustration many feel about public funds supporting content they see as out of touch with their values.
On the flip side, a general manager at a CPB-funded station offered a different take, saying, “Bias is in the eye of the beholder.” Fair enough, but when taxpayers are the ones paying, shouldn’t the standard be higher than subjective interpretation?
The CPB itself lamented the loss, stating, “For the first time in more than five decades, CPB has been excluded from the federal budget.” It’s a historic blow, no question, but perhaps a necessary reckoning for an organization caught in the culture war crossfire.
They also shared the heartbreak of the closure, noting, “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.”
Sympathy is due for those who fought hard, yet the broader question remains—should government ever be in the business of funding media?