Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Shut Down After 58 Years

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is officially closing its doors. The organization's board of directors voted Monday to dissolve the private, nonprofit corporation, ending 58 years of federal support for public media.

The shutdown comes months after Congress passed spending cuts that stripped CPB of more than $1 billion in funding. Created by Congress in 1967, the corporation served as the primary funding source for public broadcasting infrastructure across the country, supporting more than 1,500 local radio and television stations nationwide.

CPB also helped fund some of the most recognizable programs in American broadcasting, including "Sesame Street," "Frontline," and "All Things Considered."

In a statement, CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison reflected on the organization's mission: "For more than half a century, CPB existed to ensure that all Americans—regardless of geography, income, or background—had access to trusted news, educational programming, and local storytelling."

The dissolution marks the end of a unique public-private arrangement that brought educational and news programming to communities that commercial broadcasters often overlooked, particularly in rural areas. Local member stations will now need to find alternative funding sources to continue operations.