Oregon public media leaders are reacting with sadness at the announced dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and appreciation for supporters who have helped close the budget gaps created last year by the Trump Administration and Republican-control Congress.

Trump and the Republicans defunded the nonprofit organization created by Congress to distribute federal funds to public radio and TV stations in 1967: See ArtsWatch’s story Corporation for Public Broadcasting dissolved as Trump’s artsand culture cuts continue.

The decision created immediate financial shortfalls for hundreds of nonprofit media outlets in Oregon and across the nation. CPB announced that its Board of Directors voted to dissolve the organization in early January as an act of responsible stewardship to protect the future of public media.

“When the Administration and Congress rescinded federal funding, our Board faced a profound responsibility: CPB’s final act would be to protect the integrity of the public media system and the democratic values by dissolving, rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks,” CPB President Patricia Harrison said in a Jan. 5 release announcing the decision. 

The defunding, which was effective on Oct. 1, forced many if not most public radio and TV station to launch emergency fundraising drives. According to responses about the dissolution received by Oregon ArtsWatch, they have been largely successful.

Rachel Smolkin, President and CEO, Oregon Public Broadcasting:

“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) protected and sustained public media for nearly 60 years and continued to do so in its final act — closing to preserve the independence and integrity of the system. We owe its leaders our gratitude, and we’ll show that gratitude by standing strong for many years to come. With extraordinary member support, OPB closed our annual $5 million gap last year, and we are focusing on the future. We’re more committed than ever to expanding our independent, fact-based journalism and high-quality programming, serving people and audiences across Oregon and Southwest Washington.”

Fred Child, President and CEO of All Classical Radio:

“We are at a critical moment for public media and a vital time to support community-funded stations and networks. Congress’s budget rescission package eliminated $500,000 in crucial annual support that had been approved for All Classical Radio. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s vote to dissolve makes clear this funding will not return. All Classical Radio continues to depend on a broad base of community support, from individual listeners to community-minded businesses and foundations, who share the belief that music and the arts are essential resources. We commit daily to bringing people together through great music, outstanding performances, and engaging storytelling.”

Sponsor

Nathan Vandiver, Station Manager, KBOO-FM:

“The CPB was such an important leader in easy access to local and relevant news, cultural programming, and education for a democratic nation where individuals’ decisions have consequences. The loss is devastating and the attack on noncommercial, community media is alarming.

“At KBOO, we are grateful to the remaining CPB leadership for their service and for closing down the organization in a way that best serves public media. It is easy to focus on the big and new challenges KBOO will have trying to make up for the financial and networking gaps created by the loss of the CPB. But we want to express our appreciation for their partnership and leadership, even in their closing. In all the hard decisions of what to do, the leadership has continued to focus on the needs of independent stations and the communities they serve. Their thoughtfulness and process have helped to bolster KBOO and lay the groundwork to continue to provide for Portland and beyond, even under a hostile administration.

“Moving forward, KBOO just wrapped up its End-of-Year Drive. We’re still totaling the result, but we did surpass our fundraising goal through the end of 2025. This is great news. We’re moving in the right direction. We still have to cover the loss of CPB funding but our community is responding and we are grateful for their support.”

“We are also turning to our network of noncommercial stations to find new ways to support each other, including more content sharing with other regional community radio stations. There is a lot of reorganization in the public media system right now, but we will work to maintain the service our listeners and the Portland region have come to love and rely on.”

Phil Meyer, President and CEO, Southern Oregon PBS:

“The work of local public TV and radio stations continues, despite today’s announcement. Since July of last year, stations have been working on new funding models to persist in serving their communities, informing the public, and elevating local voices.

“Increased contributions from donors, sponsors and foundations have covered the amount that we have lost in federal funding for this fiscal year. Because of this support, we will continue to offer free access to high-quality educational programming, fact-based journalism, important public safety infrastructure, and iconic arts and cultural entertainment.

“We are now working on sustaining this increased community support in the long term.”

Stu Grenfell, General Operations Manager, KRVM, Eugene School District 4J:

“The only comment that I can share publicly would be that it’s a sad day for America that apparently even the hope for this crucial funding being restored is now gone.

“KRVM is adapting relatively well, thanks to an unprecedented outpouring of support from our listeners. At the six month point of our fiscal year, we’ve made up approximately $100,000 of the $186,000 or more we would have received from CPB. Whether we will be able to maintain that momentum going forward remains to be seen.”

Sponsor

George Evano, General Manager, KWAX Classical Oregon, Eugene:

“Nothing new or unexpected here; it’s the inevitable and unfortunate last chapter for a story that’s been unfolding since July. CPB accomplished what it was chartered to do – build a strong network of accessible stations that provided unbiased news and a wide range of cultural storytelling.

“I think its success paved the way for stations like us to survive with strong public support and be positioned for a future without it.

“Financially we’re doing well so far this fiscal year. We’ve seen strong donor response to our fall fund drives. We haven’t fully climbed out of the $100K crater but if our trend holds we will. We have seen more ‘lapsed’ donors returning and more increased gifts from recurring donors.”

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Since it was created nearly six decades ago, CPB had become the largest single source of funding for public radio, television, and related online and mobile services. According to CPB, in Fiscal Year 2025:

• CPB supported 386 radio grantees, representing 1,216 public radio stations
• CPB supported 158 television grantees, representing 365 public TV stations
• 245 of the total 544 radio and TV grantees were considered rural
• 99% of Americans had access to public media
• More than 70% of federal funding went directly to local public media stations
• Less than 5% of funding was spent on CPB operations

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• Previous Oregon ArtsWatch stories on such funding cuts and grant restrictions, as well as stories about successful arts and cultural grants awarded, can be found at orartswatch.org/section/culture/funding.