Thousands of people demonstrated in Prague and other Czech cities against government plans to change and reduce funding for public television and radio. Employees at the Czech broadcasters also went on strike, forcing them to limit their programming. The television network’s 24-hour news channel showed a darkened newsroom, with presenters dressed in black.
In Prague, protesters marched from the broadcasters’ offices to Wenceslas Square, where students and others joined them. Demonstrators said the proposal could undermine the outlets’ independence. Some wore triangular paper hats resembling a popular character from Czech television, which have become a symbol of the protests.
The government wants public radio and television to move from a system funded by audience fees to direct payments from the state budget. The change is expected to mean a 15% budget cut for the broadcasters next year. The government has called for savings while saying the new model would not affect editorial independence or programming.
The lower house approved the bill at its first reading in late October. It must still pass the Senate before being sent to the president for signature. The government, led by Andrej Babis and including two far-right parties, has accused public media of bias and announced plans to reform the sector when it took office in December.
Critics, including the European Broadcasting Union, the European Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, say the proposed funding system could expose the broadcasters to political pressure. Czech Television reporter Jan Molacek told Reuters that the proposal would give the governing coalition tools to influence the content of both public media outlets. Broadcasters have described the proposed 15% reduction as unacceptable, saying it would bring their budgets back to levels from around 20 years ago.
Sources: Tagesschau.