PRAGUE - Thousands of people protested in Prague on Sunday after government lawmakers gave initial backing to public-media funding changes in a rare overnight vote, despite criticism that the overhaul will damage media independence, Reuters reported. Protesters filled the capital's historic Old Town Square amid chants of 'Resignation' and 'We've had enough'.

Source: Reuters, Oct 25

The bill would abolish the household fees that currently fund Czech Television and Czech Radio and move their funding to the state budget - a change critics say would leave the broadcasters vulnerable to political pressure. Its first reading was unexpectedly brought to the lower-house floor outside the planned order of proceedings on Friday; Speaker Tomio Okamura of the SPD limited debate and scheduled the vote for 4:36 a.m. on Saturday. The bill is now at committee stage before a later vote.

Source: Reuters, Oct 25

4:36 a.m.Time of Saturday's first-reading vote, after debate was limited
No. 1Czech Television's position as the country's most-watched broadcaster across major age groups (Reuters)

What is solid

  • Thousands protested in Prague's Old Town Square on Sunday, October 25, and organisers plan further protests (Reuters)
  • The bill passed its first reading in an overnight vote and would replace household fees with state-budget funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio (Reuters, Oct 24-25)

What is only claimed

  • Whether the overhaul is an attack on media independence is disputed: critics and media advocacy groups say it will expose broadcasters to political pressure, while Prime Minister Andrej Babis says it is a matter of funding transparency and not an attack on independence (Reuters)

'You have really gone too far'

'Mr Babis ... Mr Okamura, nobody in this country believes that your intention was pure,' protest leader Mikulas Minar told the crowd on Sunday, criticising the overnight vote. '(This protest) is a clear message to this government: you have really gone too far this time,' he said. Smaller protests had first broken out on Friday when the bill was unexpectedly introduced, and organisers plan further protests.

Source: Reuters, Oct 25

The populist government of billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis, backed by the far-right SPD party, has frequently clashed with public and private media, Reuters noted. Public media are among the most trusted news sources in Czechia, according to a 2025 Reuters Institute survey cited in the report - which is why a funding change decided in a 4:36 a.m. vote has become a street-level fight over who controls the country's most trusted newsrooms.

Source: Reuters, Oct 24