Washington, Jan 6 (NationPress) The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, an organization pivotal in the establishment and maintenance of America’s public radio and television landscape since the 1960s, will cease operations following a board decision to dissolve the entity. This move comes in response to Congress' action to eliminate all federal funding.

The nonprofit corporation indicated that the decision was made after Congress revoked its federal financial support and amidst ongoing political challenges that hindered CPB’s ability to operate as envisioned under the Public Broadcasting Act.

“For over fifty years, CPB has worked to guarantee that every American—regardless of geography, income, or background—has access to reliable news, educational content, and community narratives,” stated Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of CPB. She emphasized that the board was confronted with a “profound responsibility” when federal support was rescinded.

“CPB’s concluding action will be to safeguard the integrity of the public media framework and democratic principles by dissolving, rather than permitting the organization to remain unfunded and susceptible to further attacks,” Harrison added.

Ruby Calvert, Chair of the CPB Board of Directors, commented that the funding loss left the board with no realistic choice but to disband the organization or support the public media network reliant on it. “The situation facing public media is tragic,” Calvert expressed.

“After almost sixty years of pioneering, educational public television and radio services, Congress has removed all funding for CPB, leaving the Board without a means to sustain the organization or support the public media system,” she continued.

Calvert remained optimistic that public media would persist and that future Congresses would recognize its importance, as it is “vital to our children’s education, our history, culture, and democracy.”

Authorized by Congress under the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, CPB was instrumental in developing a nationwide public media system encompassing more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations. Through its guidance, CPB maintained public media as a trusted civic asset nationwide.

The organization fostered educational programming that benefitted countless children, provided crucial alerts during emergencies, and supported journalism aimed at uncovering issues that affect daily life, building communities, and enhancing civic engagement.

The CPB board stated that, without the means to fulfill its congressionally assigned duties, maintaining the corporation as a nonfunctional entity would not be in the public's interest or further the objectives of public media.

They cautioned that a dormant and defunded CPB could be vulnerable to future political exploitation or misuse.

This scenario, the board warned, could jeopardize the independence of public media and the trust audiences place in it, while also exposing staff and board members to potential legal risks from dishonest actors.

As part of its planned closure, CPB announced it will responsibly allocate all remaining funds in line with Congress' intent. The organization will also continue to support the American Archive of Public Broadcasting to digitize and safeguard historical content.

CPB stated that its archives, dating back to its inception in 1967, will be preserved in collaboration with the University of Maryland and made available to the public.

“Public media is crucial to a robust democracy,” Harrison remarked. “We hope that future leaders and generations will recognize its significance, defend its independence, and continue the mission of providing trustworthy, educational, and community-oriented media accessible to all Americans.”

The decision has faced intense backlash from Democratic legislators. Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts described the dissolution as “a serious loss for the American public,” arguing that CPB played a critical role in ensuring access to reliable news, quality children’s programming, local storytelling, and essential emergency information nationwide.

Markey indicated that this dissolution results from a reckless attempt to dismantle public broadcasting and control media content.

“This battle is not finished,” he asserted, vowing to continue opposing attempts to suppress dissent, intimidate journalists, and undermine free speech.

Public broadcasting in the United States operates through a combination of federal funding, viewer and listener contributions, and philanthropic support.

While national networks and local stations are expected to function independently, the disbandment of CPB eliminates the central entity established to allocate federal resources while protecting public media from political pressures.

CPB was created in 1967 as a barrier between governmental influence and editorial decision-making. Its dissolution signifies a substantial structural change for U.S. public media, while local stations and producers strive to maintain services through alternative funding sources.