Czech Lawmakers Vote to Replace 205 Crown TV Fee With State Budget
The measure cuts broadcaster funding by 15 percent and faces opposition strikes, as Prime Minister Andrej Babis defends the shift as a promise kept to voters.
By Ricardo Brooks ·
Czech legislators voted in the early hours of Saturday to send a bill to committee that would eliminate the household broadcasting fee and shift public media funding to the state budget.
The proposal ends the 205 crown, or 9.45 US dollar, charge collected from homes. Instead, the state treasury would pay for the operations. The plan also reduces the nominal funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio by approximately 15 percent. After this initial cut, nominal amounts would remain static for several years.
Prime Minister Andrej Babis, a billionaire and populist, leads the governing coalition with support from the far right SPD party. He pledged to scrap the fee before taking office last December. In a Facebook post late Friday, he defended the new model as fairer to lower income households and a driver of efficiency. He rejected claims that the move targets press freedom, writing, "There is no war for independent media," and added that no nationalisation is being prepared.
Critics argue the shift increases government leverage over broadcasters. Opposition members compared the change to media reforms implemented under Viktor Orban in Hungary. Employees of the public broadcasters voiced alarm, noting that linking their revenue to the state budget exposes them to political pressure. They held a strike in June to signal their concerns.
Public media hold a strong position in the Czech Republic. They rank among the most trusted news sources in the country. Czech Television remains the most watched broadcaster across multiple age groups. The high trust level raises the stakes for the funding overhaul.
The coalition advanced the bill despite these concerns. The vote took place during a rare overnight session. The measure now moves to committees for further review. The government says it is honoring a pre election promise.
Protests are scheduled for the coming days. A civic group called for a public demonstration on Sunday. Journalists and other staff at the broadcasters announced a strike for November 3.
Source: Al Jazeera
