‘Tiny Desk’ Producer Breaks Silence About Series’ Future As CPB Loses Federal Funding
The Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced on Friday (Aug. 1) that it was shutting down due to Congress and the Trump administration eliminating its federal funding.
With CPB being the key source of funding for PBS and NPR, many were gutted about losing free public programming like Sesame Street and the beloved Tiny Desk series. However, Bobby Carter, producer of NPR’s Tiny Desk, has made a statement regarding the future of the series.
Via Instagram, Carter wrote, “I’ve heard from many friends, family and audience members who are worried that NPR/Tiny Desk is shutting down. It is not. Unfortunately, CPB is shutting down. I encourage everyone to support Public Media and donate. I appreciate all the calls, texts, and messages. They have been overwhelming and heartwarming.”
According to a CBS report, CPB is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1967 that provides funds for 1,500 local public radio and television stations, including PBS and NPR. Trump signed the executive order to halt $1.1 billion of federal funding back in May, and the following month, the House approved the request.
“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison in a statement. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”
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NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher also spoke out against the funding cuts to the outlet in a July 2025 interview. “Public media, public radio, public television are a critical part of the emergency response plans of nearly half of the states in this nation,” she stated. “If these types of emergency alerting go away, you will have fewer outlets to be able to respond in real time.”
Most CPB employees will be laid off on Sept. 30, 2025, when the fiscal year ends. A “small transition team” will remain through January 2026 to “ensure a responsible and orderly closeout of operations.”
