In a landmark decision marking the end of an era for American public media, the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has voted to formally dissolve the organisation. The vote, held on Monday 5 January 2026, effectively winds up the private agency that has been the steward of federal funding for outlets like PBS and NPR since its creation in 1967.
The Final Act: A Deliberate Dissolution
The move to shutter the CPB completely follows a period of winding down, initiated after Congress acted last summer to strip its funding, a policy pushed by President Donald Trump. Faced with a defunded existence, the board chose dissolution over maintaining a hollow shell of the organisation.
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison framed the decision as a protective final measure. She stated that the organisation's ultimate act was to safeguard the integrity of the public media system and its democratic values by formally closing, rather than leaving it vulnerable to further political attacks.
Political Pressure and a Devastating Blow
The defunding action culminated years of criticism from many Republicans, who have long accused public broadcasting, particularly its news output, of liberal bias. It was only during the second Trump administration, with the GOP in full control of Congress, that these criticisms were translated into concrete legislative action.
Ruby Calvert, head of the CPB's board of directors, described the federal defunding as "devastating" for public media. However, she expressed a resilient hope for its future, suggesting that a new Congress would eventually recognise and address public media's critical role in children's education, culture, history, and democracy.
Securing a Legacy and Looking Ahead
As part of its closure, the CPB is taking steps to preserve its legacy. The organisation confirmed it is providing financial support to the American Archive of Public Broadcasting to help conserve historic content. Furthermore, it is collaborating with the University of Maryland to ensure its own institutional records are maintained for posterity.
This dissolution represents a significant shift in the landscape of American public service broadcasting, closing a chapter that began nearly six decades ago and leaving the future of its nationwide network of television and radio stations in a state of uncertainty.
