Czech coalition fast-tracks public media funding reform — TimesLIVE
The ruling coalition in the Czech Republic on Friday fast-tracked parliamentary consideration of a bill to change the financing of public broadcasters. The document provides for moving the funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio to the state budget, as well as a possible reduction in their funding by about 15% as early as next year, TimesLIVE reports.
Abolition of the licence fee
The bill proposes abolishing the licence-fee system under which households pay 205 Czech korunas per month for public broadcasting. In the future, funds for broadcasters are planned to be allocated from the state budget.
ANO, the coalition's leading party, promised to abolish licence fees before last year's elections. The explanatory note to the initiative states that an increasing number of European countries are abandoning the financing of public media through such payments. The government says broadcasters need to save money and that the changes will not affect editorial coverage.
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Criticism from the opposition and media organisations
Critics of the reform believe that funding cuts will weaken Czech Television and Czech Radio and make them more dependent on political influence. Czech Television is the country's most-watched broadcaster across the main age groups.
The lower house of parliament also voted to extend the first of the bill's three readings until Saturday in order to overcome the opposition's delaying of the debate. Zdeněk Hřib, leader of the opposition Pirate Party, compared the government's actions to Hungary's policies under Viktor Orbán and said there was a risk of an authoritarian course.
Journalists and media organisations consider the initiative an attempt to strengthen political control over news coverage. They also point to insufficient public discussion, a lack of safeguards against political interference, and funding's dependence on politicians' decisions. The plan has already been criticised by Reporters Without Borders, the International Press Institute and the European Broadcasting Union.
