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Defunded, not defeated.

On January 5, 2026, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the private, nonprofit organization established by Congress to oversee federal support for public broadcasting, announced that its Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organization after 58 years of service. The decision follows the October 1, 2025, elimination of all federal funding for public media, including nearly $3 million in annual support for WNYC.

The end of CPB funding is a significant loss for public media, but WNYC’s mission remains unchanged. We are here to serve our community with trusted, independent journalism. As the media landscape shifts, listener support is more critical than ever. Our greatest strength has always been you - our listeners and supporters. Here’s how you can stand with us:

Support the Station-to-Station Programming Project
New York Public Radio launched the Station-to-Station Programming Project to help at-risk public radio stations nationwide. By making a bundle of our national programs available free of charge, we’re helping stations redirect limited resources to the local reporting only they can deliver.
- To make a leadership gift ($25,000+) click here.
- Every gift matters. To make a contribution of any amount, donate here.
Become a Member – or Renew Your Support
If you aren’t yet a supporter, join us right now. Currently, about one of every five listeners is a member. If that number becomes one in four, we can close this year’s $3 million funding gap.
Increase Your Current Gift
Already a member? Increasing your monthly gift by just $3 would have the same powerful impact to help us close the gap in federal funding. To increase your monthly gift, please visit our online Member Center.
Consider a Major or Matching Gift
Philanthropy is a game changer, now more than ever. If you’re able to make a major contribution or establish a matching challenge, please contact us at giving@nypublicradio.org.
Multiply your Impact:
- See if your employer will double--or even triple--your gift through a matching program here.
- Include New York Public Radio in your will or make us a beneficiary of your retirement plan here.
- Donate your old car, motorcycle, or boat here
Advocate:
Visit Protect My Public Media, a one-stop shop for action, advocacy, and information — and encourage others in your life to do the same! With a few clicks, you can contact lawmakers and urge them to safeguard this essential public resource.

Visit our Support Page to find additional ways to support WNYC.

If you’ve already given, THANK YOU for helping defend the truth and sustain public media for all.

WNYC isn’t going anywhere—but we need your help to keep us on the air and strong for the future. Share your support and spread the word on social media. Click for the full-size image and tag your post #IStandWithWNYC.

January 2026 Update

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a fiscal year 2026 funding package that includes targeted support for public media–related programs, though it does not restore broader funding for local stations. The package provides $31 million for the Ready To Learn education program and $48 million for the Next Generation Warning System, which helps provide important public safety and education services that public media provides in communities throughout the country.

How did NYPR lose funding?

On July 18, 2025, after multiple votes in both the House and the Senate, Congress approved the White House’s proposal to rescind two years of already-approved federal funding from NPR, PBS, and all member stations nationwide.

The White House signed the package into law on July 24, 2025, clawing back already approved funding for fiscal years 2025 and 2026.

For New York Public Radio this means a loss of $3 million this year and another $3 million next year - support that helped us deliver trusted journalism and cultural programming to millions.

Why is New York Public Radio so essential?

Public media plays an indispensable role to provide rigorous journalism, civil conversation, and cultural programming that reflect and connect our diverse communities.

New York Public Radio is home to the largest public radio station group in the country (WNYC, WQXR, and New Jersey Public Radio), as well as local NYC news site Gothamist, pioneering podcast producer WNYC Studios, and event venue The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space. Together, these mission-driven entities form an essential community asset that provides incomparable service to our city and region:

New York Public Radio’s broadcast signals reach the five boroughs of New York City, the surrounding New York suburbs, and approximately 75% of the New Jersey population.
WNYC is the nation’s #1 public radio station, and home to one of the most diverse legacy newsrooms in the country.
WNYC is the only Emergency Alert System on the FM dial in NYC—producing vital and even life-saving updates in times of crisis, from 9/11 to Hurricane Sandy to recent events like last year’s earthquake and the wildfire smoke crisis the year before.
WNYC’s first-of-its-kind local daily news podcast NYC NOW has filled the gap for on-demand local news in NYC.
On his daily call-in show, Brian Lehrer serves as the town square of our New York City, bringing listeners, thinkers, experts, and lawmakers together in direct conversation.
A recent CPB grant allowed us to bring on a new Capitol reporter as part of the New York Public News Collaborative, through which our statehouse reporting from Albany is shared with public media outlets all across the state.
On-air for almost 90 years, WQXR is the city’s only all-classical radio station, and the most accessible platform for audiences to experience the joy of classical music.
WQXR broadcasts live concerts from Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and other iconic music and cultural institutions, magnifying their reach by an order of magnitude and opening their doors to those for whom a concert ticket may not be in the family budget.
WNYC Studios is home to beloved industry-leading podcasts and national radio shows, including Radiolab, The New Yorker Radio Hour, On The Media, and Terrestrials—an educational kids’ science podcast produced with free online learning materials and used by educators nationwide.

PUBLIC MEDIA HAS NEVER BEEN MORE VALUABLE.
IT HAS ALSO NEVER BEEN MORE VULNERABLE.
Please stand with us now by becoming an advocate for public media
and supporting New York Public Radio today.

We Must Stand Together