Overview[]
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was incorporated in 1967 as a private, nonprofit corporation under the authority of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 (Pub. L. No. 90-129). CPB funding promotes public television and radio stations and their programs. These CPB-funded stations reach virtually every household in the United States. CPB is the largest single source of funding for public television and radio programming.
Most CPB-funded television programs are distributed through the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) created in 1969 by CPB. CPB-funded radio programs are distributed primarily through National Public Radio (NPR), created in 1970 by CPB. Both PBS and NPR are private, not-for-profit corporations.
The number of radio and television public broadcasting stations supported by CPB increased from 270 in 1969 to 1,495 in 2016 of which 364 are television stations. Public broadcasting stations are run by universities, nonprofit community associations, state government agencies, and local school boards, all of which are licensed by the FCC.