Czechia braces for massive protest as anger over government's public media reform plans boils

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis's coalition government fast-tracked a bill to overhaul public media funding on October 24, passing the first reading in an overnight parliamentary session. The vote took place at 04:36 a.m., drawing immediate criticism for restricting debate.

The legislation would scrap the license fee that currently funds Czech Television (CT) and Czech Radio (CRo) and move them to direct state budget funding. The government coalition—Babis's centrist ANO, the far-right SPD, and the conservative Motorists—argues the license fee is unfair and that the new model would make broadcasters more efficient. The bill proposes cutting public media funding by around 15% in the first year.

Opposition parties, civil society groups and international watchdogs argue the government is seeking to undermine broadcaster independence. Analysts note that while other EU states have made similar funding changes, those models include guarantees of long-term financial stability and editorial independence. The Czech proposal includes neither.

CT and CRo have warned the reduced budget will force programming and staff cuts. Vaclav Stetka of the European New School of Digital Studies told DW that such "dramatic budget cuts represent an act of cultural vandalism." The broadcasters' staff called a strike in early November, disrupting TV and radio schedules.

A massive protest is scheduled for November 15 in Prague's Letna Park. Civil society group Million Moments for Democracy, organizing the rally, has drawn 300,000 people to previous protests. Hundreds of thousands are expected.

Otto Eibl, political scientist at Masaryk University, told DW that "the confrontational approach, the attempts to limit parliamentary debate and the government's rhetoric towards journalists and critics have all contributed to the public backlash."

Babis has announced a new proposal would be drawn up guaranteeing editorial independence and moving funding off-budget, available for full debate. The government has the parliamentary majority to pass the bill and override any Senate or presidential vetoes.