"A Private Corporation Funded by the American People"
Public Media Impact
Explore more than five decades of public media's growth, milestones, and impact.
For over half a century, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting helped to turn a public good into public media that informs, educates, and connects all Americans. This timeline takes you through the defining moments — the legislative acts, the technological breakthroughs, the cultural milestones — that shaped our mission.
CPB funds are allocated to the benefit of the public media system, as directed by statute
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Direct grants to local public television stations
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Television programming grants
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Direct grants to local radio stations
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Radio National Program Production and Acquisition grants
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Radio Program Fund
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System Support
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CPB Administration
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$535.00M FY 2025 federal appropriation + 10M in estimated interest
Explore local public media stations in your community.
Congress charged CPB with achieving universal service in public media. For nearly sixty years, CPB supported a system that delivered trusted content and vital services to nearly all Americans. From rural communities to major cities, CPB-funded stations made public media a national resource accessible to everyone.
With the rescission of CPB funding, that legacy of universal service is now at risk, and the communities that relied on CPB funding the most could face growing gaps in access to trusted news, educational programming, and cultural content.
Our History
