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Thousands of protesters, including students and arts representatives, marched in Prague and other Czech cities on Tuesday, AnewZ reported. Public television and radio employees held a one-day strike to oppose the government’s plan to cut funding and bring the broadcasters under the state budget.
Protesters and media workers said the proposals would threaten the broadcasters’ independence and financial future, and called on the government to abandon the reforms. The strike also caused interruptions to broadcasts.
The protests and strike underscore the growing dispute over the future of public broadcasting in Czechia. According to a 2025 survey by the Reuters Institute, public broadcasters rank among the country’s most-watched and most trusted news sources. The government’s bill passed an initial vote last month and is awaiting further debate in parliament.
The 24-hour news channel of Czech Television showed a dark studio, while presenters wore black and read their scripts in an unusual manner.
Local opposition parties compared the proposed changes with reforms carried out in Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban, an ally of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, built a pro-government media network during his 16 years in power.
Jan Molacek, a Czech Television reporter and member of the strike committee, said: “If adopted, this proposal would give the ruling coalition the means to exert political influence over the content of both public media outlets.”
Ruling parties unexpectedly introduced the bill on Friday last month. After limited time was allocated for debate, it passed an initial vote early on Saturday morning.
Media workers who joined Tuesday’s strike and their supporters marched from Czech Television’s headquarters to Wenceslas Square in Prague. Thousands gathered there to rally against the proposals.
A protest in support of public media was held in Prague’s Old Town Square on October 25, 2026. The Czech government plans to change the funding and management of Czech Television and Czech Radio.
Funding cuts and the government’s position
Critics of the proposals say shifting funding to the state budget would weaken the direct financial link between the broadcasters and their audiences, leaving future funding decisions open to political pressure.
The proposed 15% funding cut would return the nominal budget of public television to its 2008 level and that of radio to its 2005 level. Both broadcasters have called the cuts intolerable.
Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Monday that the government was simply fulfilling its promise to reduce the public’s financial burden.
