Assemblymember Chris Ward Responds to Dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Citing Impacts to California Communities

SACRAMENTO, CA — Assemblymember Chris Ward (D–San Diego), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, & Tourism, today issued the following statement in response to the announcement that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has formally voted to dissolve, ending nearly six decades of federal support for public media nationwide.

“The dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a devastating blow to public media and to the millions of Californians who rely on it,” said Assemblymember Ward. “Public broadcasting has long been a cornerstone of education, trusted journalism, arts and cultural programming, and emergency communication — particularly in rural and underserved communities.”

CPB’s decision follows Congress’s rescission of federal funding in 2025, which effectively eliminated federal support for local public radio and television stations affiliated with NPR and PBS. As of October 1, 2025, stations across the country ceased receiving federal funds, prompting CPB’s leadership to dissolve the organization rather than operate in a defunded and politically vulnerable state.

At an informational hearing convened by the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, & Tourism last fall, California public media leaders, journalists, labor representatives, and community broadcasters testified to the outsized role public media plays in the state’s cultural and economic ecosystem. California is home to 33 public media stations that previously received CPB grants, representing a diverse mix of rural broadcasters, university licensees, Spanish-language stations, and community-based outlets.

Testimony presented at the hearing highlighted that California public media stations support more than 1,200 jobs statewide and generate approximately $150 million in direct labor income. Witnesses also emphasized the critical role public broadcasters play in early childhood education, local arts and culture coverage, emergency alerting, and providing reliable news in areas where commercial media has retreated.

While large metropolitan stations such as PBS SoCal, KQED, LAist, and KCRW have already experienced layoffs and budget reductions, the impacts in rural communities are even more severe. Nearly half of rural public media stations relied on CPB funding for at least 25 percent of their operating revenue, placing communities like Redding and Eureka at risk of losing public media service altogether.

“Public media is not just content — it is civic infrastructure,” Ward added. “The testimony we heard made clear that without action, entire regions of our state could lose access to trusted news, educational programming for children, and life-saving emergency information.”

As Chair of the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, & Tourism, Assemblymember Ward said he remains committed to working with stakeholders, policymakers, and philanthropic partners to explore pathways for sustaining public media in California and protecting the workers and communities who depend on it.