Public broadcasting in the United States

In the United States, public broadcasting is mostly run by local groups and not by the government, though it sometimes gets help from the government. This means stations and programs are organized in different ways across the country.

One important part of public broadcasting are stations like PBS, which shows educational shows for children and adults, and NPR, which provides news and cultural programs. These services aim to offer information and entertainment that is helpful to many people.

However, in July 2025, something big happened. Congress decided to stop all federal funding for public broadcasting. This means that PBS and NPR, along with other public broadcasting services, would no longer receive money directly from the government. This change affected how these stations planned their future programs and services.

Public broadcasting still continues, but it must find new ways to support itself without the same level of government help it used to have.

Background

In the United States, public broadcasting is different from other countries. The main broadcasters, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), are separate from each other. They get money from many places, including local communities, special events called pledge drives, and short ads from sponsors.

The U.S. government helped support public broadcasting through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), but this support ended in July 2025. Stations often create their own shows and also buy shows from big companies like NPR, PBS, American Public Television, American Public Media, and Public Radio Exchange.

Some politicians have criticized public broadcasting, saying it shows content that favors one side. There have been attempts to stop funding, but many people still support it because it offers educational shows and arts programs, especially in areas far from cities where other options are limited. Studies show that without government help, many stations, especially in rural areas, might not be able to keep running.

History

Early history

Early public broadcasting stations were often run by colleges and universities. They were funded by the schools themselves and sometimes accepted advertisements. Networks like Iowa Public Radio, South Dakota Public Radio, and Wisconsin Public Radio started this way.

In 1925, a group called the Association of College and University Broadcasting Stations was formed, later renamed the National Association of Educational Broadcasters. Over time, commercial broadcasting took up most of the available radio frequencies.

The idea of a "non-commercial, educational" station became part of U.S. law in 1941 when the FM band was allowed to start regular broadcasting. The Federal Communications Commission set aside certain frequencies for these educational stations.

Public Broadcasting Act of 1967

The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, helped create the current public broadcasting system in the U.S. This law established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private group that helps public broadcasters create diverse programs and provides funding to local stations. The CPB gets money from the federal government and also from public and private donations.

Cancellation of funding by Donald Trump

In 2025, under President Donald Trump, Congress stopped all federal funding for public broadcasting. A poll showed that 53% of people trusted public media, compared to 35% for the media in general.

In early 2026, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced it would dissolve after losing $500 million in funding.

Radio

The first public radio network in the United States started in 1949 in Berkeley, California as station KPFA. It became the main station for a national network called Pacifica Radio. From the start, this network did not accept money from companies and relied on support from listeners. KPFA even gave away free FM radios to get more listeners to help the station.

Another big public radio network, National Public Radio (NPR), began in February 1970. It is often thought of as all of public radio, but there are many other groups too. Some local public radio stations get their shows from places like NPR, Public Radio International, and others. These stations also create their own local shows. Public radio stations usually play news, talk, music, and cultural programs. Some bigger stations have separate shows for different types of music, like classical music or jazz.

The U.S. government has a few special radio services, but they are mostly for specific information or for people in other countries. Local public radio stations get money from listeners during special fundraising events, from some companies, and sometimes from governments and schools. They also use free airtime given to them for their broadcasts. NPR makes its own shows and also gets money from private donors and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Television

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is the main public television provider in the United States. It started in October 1970, taking over many roles from its predecessor, National Educational Television (NET). NET closed because it needed more money and faced issues with its programming.

PBS works with many independently owned television stations across the country. These stations are supported by state and federal governments, as well as viewers who contribute during special fundraising events. Some stations are run by schools, colleges, and nonprofit groups, while others are managed by state or local governments.

PBS does not create most of the shows it broadcasts. Instead, individual stations and outside producers make the programs. PBS shares these programs with its member stations. Most public television stations are part of PBS, and they can choose when to air the shows provided by PBS. They often show children's programs in the mornings and on weekend mornings. PBS also offers special networks like PBS Kids for children’s programming and PBS HD for high-definition content.

Additionally, many communities have public-access television channels on local cable systems, supported by cable fees and sometimes viewer donations.