Thousands protest against Czech broadcasting plans

Concern for press freedom Thousands protest against Czech broadcasting plans As of: November 3rd, 2026 • 8:52 p.m

The Czech government wants to finance public broadcasting from the state budget in the future. Many are therefore concerned about the independence of the broadcasters. Thousands took to the streets and there was a radio strike.

In Prague and other Czech cities, thousands of people demonstrated again against government plans to change and cut funding for public broadcasters. Czech television and radio employees went on strike to protest against Prime Minister Andrej Babis' proposed legislation. Czech television and radio had to limit their programming. The 24-hour television news channel showed a darkened newsroom and anchors dressed in black.

In Prague, the crowd moved from the media outlets to the central Wenceslas Square, where students and other demonstrators joined the protest. They describe the plans as an attempt to undermine the broadcasters' independence. "I want the media to continue to be free," a young student told Reuters. Many wore triangular paper hats that resemble a popular cartoon character on Czech television and have become a symbol of the protests.

The reason is a law that abolishes the broadcasting fee. Critics fear for the independence of reporting. more

At the end of October, the Czech House of Representatives approved the controversial law in a fast-track first reading. The bill must now pass the second chamber of parliament, the Senate, before it can be presented to the head of state for signature.

Instead of broadcasting fees paid by citizens, public radio and television should in future be financed through direct government subsidies. This is likely to mean a budget cut of 15 percent for the broadcasters next year. The government is demanding savings from the broadcasters and at the same time assures that the new financing model does not affect their editorial independence or their program content.

The Czech government wants to significantly reduce funding for public broadcasting. more

Babis leads a government alliance that includes two right-wing parties. The coalition accuses the public media of being biased. When it took office in December, the government announced a reform of public broadcasting.

Critics, including the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the European Federation of Journalists and the organization Reporters Without Borders, accuse Babis of exposing funding decisions to political pressure as a result of the reform - following the example of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Hungary's public broadcaster M1 was considered the mouthpiece of former Prime Minister Orban. more

"This proposal, if passed, will give the governing coalition tools to politically influence the content of both public media outlets," Jan Molacek, a reporter at Czech television, told Reuters. A cut of 15 percent, described by broadcasters as unsustainable, would push budgets down to the level of around 20 years ago.

This topic in the program: tagesschau.de | Czech Republic - This is how the strike at the public broadcaster went | Nov 3, 2026 | 9:09 p.m. MDR aktuell - The news radio | News | Nov 3, 2026 | 12:51 p.m