Rural America Faces the Hardest Hit with CPB Shutdown, but Maryland Will Still Feel Impact (Opinion)

With the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) now beginning the process of winding down its operations, rural communities are likely to bear the brunt of this federal defunding. According to CPB’s own announcement, the exclusion of funding in the latest federal budget legislation has forced the organization to plan for full closure by early 2026. This marks the first time in nearly 60 years that the U.S. government has withdrawn financial support for public broadcasting. While digital platforms dominate news consumption today, the loss of CPB’s support for educational and locally relevant media services will create a critical gap—especially in areas where public broadcasters serve as one of the few reliable community-focused outlets.

The CPB has historically funneled over 70% of its federal budget—$525 million in FY2024—directly to local radio and television stations, many of which serve rural and underserved populations. For dozens of these stations, CPB grants represent up to half of their annual revenue. Without this funding, some rural broadcasters, especially those not near any major metropolitan areas, may be forced to reduce services or shut down entirely. This impacts not just entertainment or cultural programming, but also emergency alerts, local reporting, and educational shows for children. These are not easily replaced in areas with limited internet access or where national media doesn’t reflect local concerns.

Radio Free Hub City, unlike many public media outlets, does not rely on CPB funding for its operations. Our overhead is significantly lower than that of traditional radio and television stations, allowing us to maintain independence from federal appropriations. However, we recognize that our sustainability model is the exception, not the rule. Most traditional public broadcasters cannot operate without external support, and their loss will be felt most keenly in the communities that have the fewest alternatives.

News consumption patterns may not shift significantly due to this shutdown. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 86% of U.S. adults use digital devices to access news at least occasionally, and 57% do so frequently. Furthermore, 58% of respondents expressed a clear preference for digital news sources over print, television, or radio. However, CPB’s core impact has never been about headlines alone—it’s in educational programming such as PBS KIDS, Ready To Learn grants, and civic education content. While online platforms like YouTube offer some educational resources, many rely on product placements and may include hidden political or commercial agendas.

As CPB funding vanishes, so too will many of the non-commercial programs that shaped the early learning of millions of American children. Public broadcasting’s unique role in offering accessible, equitable education—especially for families without reliable broadband or cable subscriptions—cannot be easily replicated. And while some critics argued PBS itself is not politically neutral, replacing it with ad-driven, algorithmically served content only shifts influence, not eliminates bias.

Fortunately, rural Maryland will likely not be significantly impacted, as most of CPB’s grants in Maryland have focused on the Baltimore/Washington market. However, undoubtedly where we’ll see the hardest hit is Maryland’s PBS station, Maryland Public Television (MPT). PBS in June stated that funding cuts “will have a devastating impact on PBS and local member stations, particularly smaller and rural stations that rely on federal funding for a larger portion of their budgets”.

So what can we do? For one, we’re going to continue working to fill the local news gap which was created by the loss of Hagerstown’s local TV station, as well as reduced local coverage by other outlets. But also, I’ve always been a huge proponent of private action stepping in to fill gaps when public funding or services just won’t do. I’m not quite ready to stand up a “RFHC Kids” yet, but if we can get enough interest (and private funding), I’d be happy to do so. If this is something you’d be interested in helping establish, please reach out and let’s discuss how we can fill the void left by the funding cuts to these broadcasters.

Article by Ken Buckler, based upon statistics from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. All opinions are his own, and do not reflect those of our clients or sponsors.

---