CPB to wind down after federal funding loss
Dru Sefton / Current
CPB is beginning a “wind-down” and letting go of most of its staff on Sept. 30 following congressional rescission of its federal funding.
A “small transition team” will remain on staff through January, according to a Friday news release.
About 100 employees currently work at CPB, according to a spokesperson. Management is working to determine how many workers will be needed after Sept. 30.
The transition team will work on compliance, final distributions, and long-term financial obligations. That will include working on the continuation of music rights and royalty agreements for public broadcasters.
In July, Congress approved the White House’s proposal to claw back CPB’s forward-funded $535 million annual appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. On Thursday, a Senate Appropriations Committee’s markup of the 2026 Labor and Health and Human Services appropriations bill did not provide any funding for CPB.
“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 CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison in a news release. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”
Also on Friday, the U.S. government filed to voluntarily dismiss its claims against now former CPB director Thomas Rothman. Court documents show that Rothman sent a letter to Harrison on Thursday saying that he no longer held or exercised the position.
In April, the deputy director of presidential personnel for the executive office of the president told Rothman and fellow board members Diane Kaplan and Laura Ross that their positions had been terminated.
The two sides have been in a legal battle since, but Rothman also filed Friday to dismiss his claims against the Trump administration. Ross departed the board last week, ending the legal fight over her post.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher said in a statement Friday that CPB’s closure represents the loss of a major institution.
“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has been a cornerstone of public broadcasting in the United States for more than half a century,” Maher said. “It has served as a vital source of funding for local stations, a champion of educational and cultural programming, and a bulwark for independent journalism — enabling organizations like ours to deliver essential news and culture across the nation.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to report on the current number of CPB employees and to include NPR CEO Katherine Maher’s statement.
Please cover what’s to become of the CPB negotiated music clearance fees for pub radio stations. A HUGE uncovered element of this funding rollback.