Oh, Good, There's Another Casualty in the Conservative War on Public Media

"The vote formalized plans announced last year to wind down operations [for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting] after lawmakers voted to strip more than $500 million in annual funding from the organization. Executives have been emptying the corporation's coffers in recent months by making grants to public media organizations. After the federal funding ended, executives at the corporation discussed putting the organization into hibernation, keeping it alive in case Congress eventually voted to restore its federal appropriation."

"But in a statement on Monday, the corporation said that allowing the organization to lie dormant could have resulted in political manipulation or misuse, threatening the independence of public media. 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, Patricia Harrison, the president and chief executive of the corporation, said in a statement."

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting voted to dissolve after lawmakers stripped more than $500 million in annual funding. Executives made grants to public media organizations, emptying the corporation's coffers. After federal funding ended, executives considered putting the organization into hibernation to preserve it if Congress restored appropriations. Executives concluded that dormancy could invite political manipulation or misuse and threaten the independence of public media. The corporation chose dissolution to protect the integrity of the public media system and democratic values, according to Patricia Harrison. The end of CPB ushers in a new era with local stations fighting for survival amid increased donations and philanthropic support.

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