What CPB’s shut down means for PIC
Aloha pumehana kākou,
I write to you today not only to share significant news, but to reflect on what it means—and how we move forward together.
The Trump administration and Congress officially rescinded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s (CPB) advance appropriations for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. In addition, the FY2026 Senate appropriations bill excludes funding for CPB. These decisions eliminate the foundational federal funding for the entire public media system and has led to the very heartbreaking decision for CPB to shut down. It is a profound and unsettling moment—not just for PIC, but for every community that has found voice, connection, and belonging through public media.
Public media has long been a rare space in American life—one where education, culture, and truth take precedence over market demands and influence. It is where our kūpuna (elders) have heard their languages spoken. Where keiki (children) have seen someone who looks like them on screen. Where independent voices have brought nuance, joy, and challenge to the national conversation. In so many ways, public media has been a civic lifeline.
CPB was built on ideals that matter—access, service, representation—and it was sustained by people who genuinely believed in public service for the greater good. Many of those people will now lose their jobs. Many organizations will now face painful cuts. And many communities across the country will lose life saving services, educational programming and connections to the rest of the country.
For Pacific Islanders in Communications, this change is deeply personal. We were created 34 years ago because of CPB. Born from a commitment to equity and cultural representation, PIC was one of several organizations established with CPB funding to ensure that communities historically left out of mainstream media could tell their own stories. It is no exaggeration to say that without public media—and without CPB—PIC would not exist.
CPB’s support accounts for approximately 75% of PIC’s annual funding. With the loss of this critical resource, we’ve had to make difficult decisions about our core programmatic activities. It is with deep regret that we are placing an indefinite pause on our funding initiatives, including the Media Fund and Shorts Fund open calls. As one of the only organizations dedicated to supporting Pacific Islander stories and storytellers, we are honored to carry this responsibility. Yet any disruption to our work puts our communities at risk of continued underrepresentation and misrepresentation in the media landscape.
While we know the impacts of this loss are in motion, we don’t intend to give up. Everyone at PIC and our board of directors have been preparing for this possibility for months. We have and will continue to do the following:
- Implement our worse case scenario plan and engage in financial stewardship to safeguard our core operations,
- Deepen relationships with philanthropic partners and funders who believe in this mission,
- Continue to uplift creators and stories that center Pacific Islander perspectives,
- And most importantly, affirm that our purpose does not begin or end with a federal budget line.
Two things have come into crystal clear focus for me during this sobering moment in our history. Civic engagement is absolutely necessary for democracy to work the way it should, for all. And, it reminds me why we do this work. Why stories matter. Why public space for culture, identity, and lived experience is not a luxury, but a necessity.
I know the path ahead will require courage, creativity, and collective effort. But PIC was founded in response to systemic exclusion and we have always understood how to navigate challenges with grace and vision. PIC will keep showing up for our communities, our filmmakers and the future of Pacific Islander storytelling.
Mahalo nui loa to our filmmakers and partners. Over the past four months, your support through your advocacy, collaboration, and your presence has been a source of strength. Whether you used your voice to speak out or stood with us in quiet solidarity, we’ve felt your aloha every step of the way. We are deeply grateful for the ways you’ve shown up—not just for PIC, but for the future of public media.
That collective support gives us the courage to keep going, and we know we can’t do this alone.
I ask you to stand with us. If PIC’s work has ever resonated with you, please consider:
- Sharing our stories and impact with others,
- Supporting us through this transition,
- And advocating for the continued importance of public media in your own circles.
This is not the end of the road. In fact, it's a new chapter that we are writing together.
With deep gratitude and aloha,
Cheryl Hirasa
Executive Director
Pacific Islanders in Communications
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