PRAGUE, Czech Republic — Czech lawmakers advanced a plan Saturday to replace household licence fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio with direct state-budget funding, a change projected to reduce the public broadcasters’ combined funding by roughly 15%.
The ruling coalition moved the bill through its first reading after an overnight debate and sent it to parliamentary committees. The vote is a legislative step, not final passage; the proposal still faces additional scrutiny and votes.
Under the plan, the current 205-crown monthly household broadcasting fee would be abolished. The European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, says combined annual funding would fall by about 1.4 billion Czech crowns to approximately 7.8 billion crowns.
The EBU and other media and press-freedom organizations argue that the proposed funding model could weaken the broadcasters’ financial stability and expose them to political pressure. Their statement says the European Media Freedom Act requires public-service media funding to be adequate, sustainable, predictable and structured to protect editorial independence.
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš rejects claims that the proposal is an attack on independent media or an effort to nationalize the broadcasters. Culture Minister Oto Klempíř told lawmakers that direct state funding is used elsewhere in Europe.
Radio Prague International, part of Czech Radio, reported that employees of both broadcasters have called a one-day strike for November 3. Reuters reported that a public protest is planned Sunday.
What remains unresolved
The final funding amount could change during the legislative process. It is also unresolved whether the bill will pass both chambers, whether European Union institutions will intervene, and how any reduction would affect staffing, regional reporting, programming and digital services.
Sources: Radio Prague International; European Broadcasting Union; Reuters.