The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is officially out of the picture, and it’s causing ripples across public media.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), an agency responsible for funding public media in the U.S. since its inception in 1967, has officially been dissolved. This decision was finalized by its board of directors after federal funding was stripped, leading to an inevitable shutdown.
CPB played a crucial role in supporting PBS, NPR, and public stations nationwide, including over 50 in Colorado. Its funding historically directed federal resources to ensure a diverse range of programming, from educational shows like Sesame Street to cultural staples like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. However, following significant political pressures, particularly during the Trump administration, CPB faced mounting criticism. Many Republicans accused it of harboring a liberal bias, and eventually, those criticisms turned into actions that culminated in the organization’s dissolution.
In May 2020, President Trump approved the decision to cut CPB’s funding, which initiated a steady decline for the organization. On Monday, CPB’s board made the final move to dissolve rather than maintain the agency in a defunded state, a choice described as a means to preserve the integrity of public media.
Patricia Harrison, CPB’s president and CEO, remarked on this development, stating, “CPB’s final act would be to protect the integrity of the public media system and the democratic values by dissolving, rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks.”
Following the announcement, Rocky Mountain PBS (RMPBS) aimed to provide insight into the implications of this closure. Although RMPBS’s leadership was unavailable for immediate comment, Amanda Mountain, the organization’s president and CEO, issued a heartfelt statement. She expressed a deep gratitude for CPB’s decades of service, emphasizing the importance of public media in fostering community connections and providing essential resources to the public. Mountain’s remarks underscored the commitment of RMPBS to continue its mission in light of the new challenges ahead.
RMPBS relies on federal funding for approximately 10% of its annual budget, and this loss represents a significant blow to its operations. It’s worth noting that nearly two-thirds of CPB’s annual funding of $1.1 billion was distributed to about 1,500 local public TV and radio stations across the country, with NPR affiliates depending on federal dollars for about 15% of their financial needs. As the public media sector navigates this shift, the future remains uncertain.
