The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a private corporation authorized by Congress in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 to steward the federal government’s funding to public broadcasting.
CPB produces no programs and doesn’t own, operate, or control any broadcast stations, and maintains a firewall between government and the locally controlled stations, who decide what programs and initiatives best serve their communities.
Support for Individual Public Radio and TV Stations
By statute, over 70% of CPB’s appropriation is sent directly to America’s public television and radio stations through its Community Service Grants (CSG). Of that amount, roughly 70% is sent to public television stations like OETA and KRSU in Oklahoma, and about 30% goes to public radio stations.
For example, in FY24 OETA received approximately $1.6 million and KRSU in Claremore received around $750,000 in funding. Public Radio Tulsa, by comparison, received just over $153,000, roughly 9% of our total revenue. NPR stations in Stillwater and Norman received similar amounts.
Support for New Programming & Initiatives
CPB also provides grants to develop new programming, as well as funding new initiatives within existing programs. Again, the lion’s share goes to public television productions (91%) with about 9% going to public radio productions. The radio grants have included expanding NPR’s international news coverage and investigative reporting, collaborative journalism projects between public stations around the country, and providing some start-up costs for potential new programs (such as Live From Cain’s, a series of live music events recorded at the Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa). In public radio’s case, these funds are just one of many funding sources that help a project or program come to life.
Non-Programming Support the Public Broadcasting System
Finally, 6% of CPB funding is spent on system support, including:
· Negotiating and providing broadcast music licensing for public broadcasters from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, as well as digital music licensing through Sound Exchange;
· Providing support for the satellite systems that connect public radio and television stations;
· Offering support for station development like the Digital Transformation Project, in which Public Radio Tulsa is currently participating;
· Providing emergency grants to stations affected by natural disasters;
· Taking the lead in helping public AND commercial broadcasters in providing upgraded advanced warning systems for severe weather and natural disasters.
