Overview

• CPB president Patricia Harrison announced the wind-down after Congress rescinded $1.1 billion in prior appropriations and excluded the agency from the FY 2026 spending bill.
• The organization founded in 1967 has long provided over $500 million annually to more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations.
• Most of CPB’s roughly 100 employees will be laid off when the fiscal year ends on September 30, with a smaller transition team staying through January 2026 to complete final distributions, rights management and regulatory duties.
• National networks NPR and PBS will continue operating with nongovernmental revenue streams, but many smaller and rural affiliates face severe budget shortfalls without CPB grants.
• Local stations have launched emergency fundraising drives to plug imminent funding gaps and avert service disruptions.