Overview
- The government approved a plan to end licence fees and instead finance Czech Television and Czech Radio from the state budget starting next year, restoring funding to pre-2025 levels.
- The protest that routed to the Czech Television building on Sunday drew thousands carrying banners reading "Hands off public media" and came a day before a planned warning strike by broadcaster staff.
- Public-broadcaster leaders say the shift would cut about 15% of current funding and force programming reductions and hundreds of job losses, with Czech Television warning of roughly 300–500 layoffs.
- The government says most citizens oppose licence fees and promises to protect editorial independence; opponents link the move to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's right-leaning coalition and point to Slovakia and Hungary as worrying examples.
- Warning strikes by public-broadcaster employees are scheduled for Monday and international media groups have criticized the reform for lacking binding future funding guarantees that shield editorial autonomy.