View source for Corporation for Public Broadcasting

{{Short description|American publicly funded non-profit corporation}}
{{outdated|date=April 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Corporation for Public Broadcasting
| logo = Corporation for Public Broadcasting logo.svg
| logo_size = 150px
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]], [[Non-profit corporation|non-profit]]<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS22168.pdf|title=The Corporation for Public Broadcasting: Federal Funding and Issues |last1=McLoughlin|first1=Glenn J.|last2=Gomez|first2=Lena A.|date=May 3, 2017|publisher=Congressional Research Service |location=Washington, D.C.|access-date=November 16, 2017|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205205715/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS22168.pdf|archive-date=December 5, 2017}}
</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb|title=About CPB|date=September 22, 2014|website=www.cpb.org|access-date=November 15, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206213314/https://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/|archive-date=December 6, 2017}}</ref>
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1967|11|07}}
| location_city = [[Washington, D.C.]]
| location_country = U.S.
| area_served = United States
| key_people = [[Patricia Harrison]] ([[President (corporate title)|president]] & [[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
| industry = {{plainlist|
* [[Television]]
* [[Radio]]}}
| num_employees = 100
| homepage = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''Corporation for Public Broadcasting''' ('''CPB''') (stylized as '''cpb''') is an American [[Subsidy|publicly funded]] [[non-profit corporation]], created in 1967 to promote and help support [[public broadcasting]].<ref>{{usc|47|396}}</ref> The corporation's mission is to ensure universal access to [[Non-commercial activity|non-commercial]], high-quality content and telecommunications services. It does so by distributing more than 70 percent of its funding to more than 1,400 locally owned public radio and television stations.<ref name="CPB Financial Information">{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/financials|title=CPB Financial Information|format=web|access-date=February 29, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118161850/http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/financials/|archive-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

==History==
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was created on November 7, 1967, when U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson signed the [[Public Broadcasting Act of 1967]]. The new organization initially collaborated with the [[National Educational Television]] network—which would be replaced by the [[Public Broadcasting Service]] (PBS). Ward Chamberlin Jr. was the first operating officer.<ref>{{cite web|title = Statement from Paula Kerger, President & CEO, PBS on Ward Chamberlin Jr.|url = https://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/statement-from-paula-kerger-president-ceo-pbs-on-ward-chamberlin-jr/|publisher = PBS|access-date = February 25, 2017|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170226132354/http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/statement-from-paula-kerger-president-ceo-pbs-on-ward-chamberlin-jr/|archive-date = February 26, 2017}}</ref> On March 27, 1968, it was registered as a nonprofit corporation in the District of Columbia.<ref name="PBS Timeline">{{cite web |title = PBS Timeline |url = http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/history-timeline |publisher = PBS |access-date = February 29, 2016 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171213203813/https://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/history-timeline |archive-date = December 13, 2017 }}</ref> In 1969, the CPB talked to private groups to start PBS, an entity intended by the CPB to circumvent controversies engendered by certain NET public affairs programs that aired in the late 1960s and engendered opposition by politically [[conservatism in the United States|conservative]] public figures, potentially threatening the medium's future viability.<ref name="gardner">{{cite web|title = Thematic Window: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting|url = https://www.pbs.org/johngardner/chapters/4d.html|publisher = PBS|access-date = October 16, 2009|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090811071751/http://www.pbs.org/johngardner/chapters/4d.html|archive-date = August 11, 2009}}</ref>

On February 26, 1970, the CPB formed [[National Public Radio]] (NPR), a [[radio network|network]] of public-radio stations that began operating the following year. Unlike PBS, NPR produces ''and'' distributes programming.<ref name="PBS Timeline"/> On May 31, 2002, the CPB, through special appropriation funding, helped public television stations making the transition to digital broadcasting; this was complete by 2009.<ref name="PBS Timeline"/>

==Funding of and by the corporation==
The CPB's annual budget is composed almost entirely of an annual appropriation from Congress plus interest on those funds.
CPB has claimed that 95% of its appropriation goes directly to content development, community services, and other local station and system needs.<ref name="CPB Financial Information"/>

For fiscal year 2014, its appropriation was US$445.5 million, including $500,000 in interest earned. The distribution of these funds was as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/financials/budget/|title=CPB Operating Budget|last=cemah|date=January 15, 2015|website=www.cpb.org|access-date=May 4, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229162244/https://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/financials/budget/|archive-date=December 29, 2017}}</ref>

* $222.78M for direct grants to local public television stations;
* $74.63M for television programming grants;
* $69.31M for direct grants to local public radio stations;
* $26.67M for PBS support;
* $22.84M for grants for radio programming and national program production and acquisition;
* $22.25M for CPB administrative costs;
* $7.00M for the Radio Program Fund.

Public broadcasting stations are funded by a combination of private donations from listeners and viewers, foundations and corporations. Funding for public television comes in roughly equal parts from government (at all levels) and the private sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/annualreports/2013/|title=CPB 2013 Annual Report|website=www.cpb.org|access-date=May 4, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212170045/http://cpb.org/annualreports/2013/|archive-date=February 12, 2016}}</ref>

Stations that receive CPB funds must meet certain requirements,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpb.org/stations/certification/|title=Communications Act Compliance|last=ernestosilva|date=October 14, 2015|website=www.cpb.org|access-date=May 4, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213025639/http://cpb.org/stations/certification/|archive-date=February 13, 2016}}</ref> such as the maintenance or provision of open meetings, open financial records, a community advisory board, equal employment opportunity, and lists of donors and political activities.

== Efforts to defund CPB in the US Congress == 

The CPB has had its congressional funding threatened a number of times, mostly by Republicans who think PBS had a left-wing bias. President Nixon was well known for his dislike of PBS and the CPB and wanted to kill the congressional funding for it.<ref><!-- Corporation for Public Broadcasting History-->{{cite Q|Q122259942}}</ref> In July 2023, the appropriations bill for FY 2024 included ''zero'' money for CPB when it passed out of the [[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies|US House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies]]<ref><!-- Julian Wyllie (2023-07-14) House subcommittee recommends zeroing out CPB funding for FY26-->{{cite Q|Q122260182}}</ref><ref><!-- David Lee (2023-07-21) Proposed House Appropriations bill eliminates federal funding for public media-->{{cite Q|Q122260308}}</ref> However, the corresponding bill considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee plans to continue funding for the CPB, though at 7 percent less than what President Biden requested.<ref><!-- George Winslow (2023-07-27) APTS, CPB Commend Senate Funding Recommendations for Public Broadcasting-->{{cite Q|Q122260508}}</ref>

==Board composition==
The CPB is governed by a nine-member [[board of directors]] selected by the [[president of the United States]] and confirmed by the [[United States Senate|Senate]]; they serve six-year terms, and are allowed to continue serving until the end of the calendar year that their term ends or until their successor is seated on the board.<ref name="Public Broadcasting Act">{{cite web|url=https://cpb.org/aboutpb/act|title=Public Broadcast Act of 1967 Subpart D — Corporation for Public Broadcasting|work=cpb.org|date=November 7, 1967|access-date=2022-12-21}}</ref> Under the terms of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, the president cannot appoint persons of the same political party to more than five of the nine CPB board seats.<ref name="Public Broadcasting Act" />

The Board of Directors governs the CPB, sets policy, and establishes programming priorities. The Board appoints the president and chief executive officer, who then names the other corporate officers.<ref name="Board">{{cite web |url=https://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/leadership/board/ |title=Board of Directors |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |website=CPB.org |publisher=Corporation for Public Broadcasting |access-date=September 25, 2024}}</ref>

===Board members===
The current FCA board as of September 25, 2024:<ref name="Board" />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! Position
! Name
! Party
! Appointed by (year of confirmation)
! Took office
! Term expires
|-
! Chair
| {{sortname|Laura G.|Ross}}
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| [[Political appointments by Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] (2018), [[List of political appointments by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]] (2022)
| {{dts|2018|05|24}}
| {{dts|2028|01|31}}
|-
! Vice chair
| {{sortname|Ruby|Calvert}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| [[Political appointments by Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] (2018), [[List of political appointments by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]] (2022)
| {{dts|2018|05|24}}
| {{dts|2028|01|31}}
|-
! Member
| {{sortname|Bruce|Ramer}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| [[George W. Bush]] (2008), [[Barack Obama]] (2013), [[Political appointments by Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] (2019)
| {{dts|2008|10|02}}
| {{dts|2024|01|31}}
|-
! Member
| {{sortname|Elizabeth|Sembler}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| [[George W. Bush]] (2008), [[Barack Obama]] (2014), [[List of political appointments by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]] (2022)
| {{dts|2008|10|02}}
| {{dts|2026|01|31}}
|-
! Member
| {{sortname|Miriam|Hellreich}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| [[Political appointments by Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] (2019)
| {{dts|2019|03|14}}
| {{dts|2024|01|31}}
|-
! Member
| {{sortname|Thomas E.|Rothman}}
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| [[List of political appointments by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]] (2022)
| {{dts|2022|02|03}}
| {{dts|2026|01|31}}
|-
! Member
| {{sortname|Kathy|Im}}
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| [[List of political appointments by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]] (2022)
| {{dts|2022|12|20}}
| {{dts|2024|01|31}}
|-
! Member
| {{sortname|Diane|Kaplan}}
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| [[List of political appointments by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]] (2022)
| {{dts|2022|12|20}}
| {{dts|2026|01|31}}
|-
! Member
| ''Vacant''
| 
| 
| 
| {{dts|2028|01|31}}
|}

===Nominations===
President [[Joe Biden|Biden]] has nominated the following to fill a seat on the board. They await Senate confirmation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/quick-search/nominations?wordsPhrases=Corporation+for+Public+Broadcasting&wordVariants=on&congresses%5B0%5D=118&nomCivil=on&nomOther=on&pnNumbers=&nomineeNames=&positions=&organizations=&stateTerritories%5B0%5D=any&nominationAction=&dates=datesReceivedInSenate&dateOperator=equal&startDate=&endDate=&dateIsOption=yesterday |title=Quick Search Corporation for Public Broadcasting |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |website=Congress.gov |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=September 25, 2024}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Name !! Party !! Term expires !! Replacing
|-
| {{sortname|Felix R.|Sanchez}} || {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{dts|2028|01|31}} || {{sortname|Robert A.|Mandell}}
|}

==Political concerns==
In 2004 and 2005, people from PBS and NPR complained that the CPB was starting to push a [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] agenda.<ref>[http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_050605_cpb.html NPR's On the Media interview with Tomlinson, May 6, 2005] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522130613/http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_050605_cpb.html |date=May 22, 2008 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_071505_elephant.html NPR's On the Media follow-up, July 15, 2005] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001133224/http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_071505_elephant.html |date=October 1, 2006 }}</ref> Board members replied that they were merely seeking balance.

[[Kenneth Tomlinson]], chair of the CPB board from September 2003 until September 2005, angered PBS and NPR supporters by unilaterally commissioning a conservative colleague to conduct a study of alleged bias in the PBS show ''[[NOW with Bill Moyers]]'', and by appointing two conservatives as CPB Ombudsmen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4724317|title=CPB Memos Indicate Level of Monitoring|date=June 30, 2005|work=NPR.org|access-date=June 25, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624181341/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4724317|archive-date=June 24, 2015}}</ref> On November 3, 2005, Tomlinson resigned from the board, prompted by a report of his tenure by the CPB Inspector General, Kenneth Konz, requested by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The report was made public on November 15. It states:

<blockquote>We found evidence that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) former Chairman violated statutory provisions and the Director's Code of Ethics by dealing directly with one of the creators of a new public affairs program during negotiations with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the CPB over creating the show. Our review also found evidence that suggests "political tests" {{sic|were a major criteria}} used by the former Chairman in recruiting a President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for CPB, which violated statutory prohibitions against such practices.<ref>[http://www.cpb.org/oig/reports/602_cpb_ig_reportofreview.pdf Corporation For Public Broadcasting, Office of Inspector General: Review of Alleged Actions Violating The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, as Amended, Report No. EPB503-602, November 2006] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210846/http://www.cpb.org/oig/reports/602_cpb_ig_reportofreview.pdf |date=2015-09-23 }}, page i</ref></blockquote>

==Objectivity and balance requirements==
The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 requires the CPB to operate with a "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature".<ref name="Public Broadcasting Act"/> It also requires it to regularly review national programming for objectivity and balance, and to report on "its efforts to address concerns about objectivity and balance".

==See also==
*[[American Public Television]]
*[[Public Radio Exchange]]
*[[American Public Media]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}}
*{{ProPublicaNonprofitExplorer|132607374}}
*[http://www.current.org ''Current'', the newspaper about public TV and radio in the United States]
*[https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/1609 Corporation for Public Broadcasting records] at the [[University of Maryland Libraries]]
*[[hdl:1903.1/8281|Elizabeth L. Young papers]] at the [[University of Maryland Libraries]]

{{PBSTV}}
{{NPR}}
{{European Broadcasting Union Members}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corporation For Public Broadcasting}}
[[Category:1967 establishments in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Corporation for Public Broadcasting| ]]
[[Category:Public Broadcasting Service]]
[[Category:Public broadcasting in the United States]]
[[Category:Corporations chartered by the United States Congress]]
[[Category:Foundations based in the United States]]
[[Category:Entertainment companies established in 1967]]
[[Category:Mass media companies established in 1967]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1967]]