The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a pivotal entity responsible for channeling federal funds to PBS, NPR, and numerous public TV and radio stations nationwide, has decided to cease operations. Established in 1967, the CPB board opted for dissolution on Monday.

Since Congress chose to cut CPB’s funding last summer, influenced by President Donald Trump, the organization had been on a path toward closure. On Monday, the board resolved to fully dissolve the CPB, preferring closure over maintaining an inactive existence.

“Our last move will be to safeguard public media’s integrity and uphold democratic principles by opting for dissolution rather than leaving the organization defenseless and susceptible to further criticisms,” remarked Patricia Harrison, CPB’s President and CEO.

For years, some Republicans have criticized public broadcasting, especially its news segments, for a perceived liberal bias. However, it was only during Trump’s second term, with Republican control of Congress, that these criticisms translated into tangible actions.

Ruby Calvert, the chair of CPB’s board, expressed that the withdrawal of federal support has been severely detrimental to public media.

“Even at this moment, I am convinced that public media will survive, and that a new Congress will address public media’s role in our country because it is critical to our children’s education, our history, culture and democracy to do so,” Calvert said.

CPB said it was financially supporting the American Archive of Public Broadcasting in its effort to preserve historic content, and is working with the University of Maryland to maintain its own records.