DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced Friday it will begin shutting down after Congress voted to remove federal funding for the organization, potentially affecting public radio and television stations throughout the Wiregrass and across the country.
The nonprofit corporation, created by Congress in 1967, has distributed funding to over 1,500 public media stations nationwide, including PBS and NPR affiliates. In rural communities, including parts of southeast Alabama, these stations often rely on federal support to maintain operations and provide access to educational and cultural programming.
The decision follows the passage of a federal budget package that eliminates CPB funding over the next two years—roughly $1.1 billion—and a Senate Appropriations Committee vote that excluded the corporation from the latest spending bill for the first time in more than 50 years.
“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” said Patricia Harrison, CPB President and CEO.
CPB said most staff will be let go by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, with a small transition team remaining through January to manage outstanding obligations, such as music licensing and royalty agreements that many public radio stations depend on.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) attempted to restore CPB funding through an amendment during a Senate committee meeting this week but later withdrew it. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) stated that the committee had already settled the matter in prior votes.
Public broadcasting leaders say they are now working to assess how the loss of CPB support could affect local stations. Some may need to reduce services or seek alternative funding sources.
The closure of CPB marks the end of a nearly six-decade chapter in federally supported public media. Its legacy includes support for programs such as Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and All Things Considered.
