Prague protesters rally against public media funding overhaul

Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ administration intends to shift the funding of public media from direct household and business fees to the state budget. While the government claims this move respects public sentiment, critics argue that tethering these institutions to the national purse strings invites political interference. Mikulas Minar of the Million Moments group addressed the crowd, declaring that media should remain distinct from political influence.

The proposed overhaul would roll back financing to 2008 levels, effectively forcing a 15% budget cut. Executives at Czech Television warn this austerity could result in the layoffs of up to 500 staff members from a workforce of 2,900. Despite the government’s insistence that it is not compromising institutional autonomy, the move has sparked alarm among those who fear the end of independent broadcasting in the country.