Black-clad broadcasters warn funding reform could threaten media independence
Hundreds of employees of Czech Television and Czech Radio staged protests on Wednesday against proposed changes to the funding of public-service media, warning that the measures could threaten their independence and financial stability.
Hundreds of Czech Television and Czech Radio employees came to work dressed in black on Wednesday to sound the alarm that their future is at stake and that if the ruling coalition pushes through its planned funding reform they may no longer be able to fulfill their mission.
Black-clad hosts and reporters appeared on Czech TV screens throughout the day and at midday public media employees gathered outside their Prague headquarters to warn that the future of the country’s public broadcasters is under threat. Czech Television presenter Daniel Stach said their black apparel symbolized the “black screens” the future could bring.
"We are determined to defend public-service media. We do not want public television and public radio, which belong to citizens, to become directly dependent on the political will of any government."
According to one of the co-organizers of the protest Jan Herget, the governing coalition claims it only wants to change the funding system, but the issue goes much further than that — it concerns the values, independence and stability of public-service media, as well as the scope of services they provide to audiences.
Trade unions and staff representatives of both institutions have already declared an indefinite strike alert over the planned reforms. They warned on Wednesday that they could escalate to a full strike if political decisions undermine the independence of public broadcasting.
The protest is against a proposed government reform of public media funding which would abolish license fees in favour of state funding. Critics of the proposed changes argue that this would undermine the broadcasters’ financial stability and leave them vulnerable to political pressure. The measure would also significantly reduce revenue for both institutions.
Czech Television could lose around 1.4 billion crowns annually, while Czech Radio could lose up to 500 million crowns.
Czech television deputy director-general Milan Fridrich said the broadcaster would have to lay off between 300 and 500 employees if its budget were reduced by roughly one billion crowns. The broadcaster currently employs nearly 3,000 people and operates with an annual budget of 8.5 billion crowns.
Czech Radio has estimated that the proposed legislation would reduce its annual income by 360 to 370 million crowns. With a current budget of 2.7 billion crowns, the broadcaster said it would likely have to cut around 200 of its 1,350 jobs and end cooperation with hundreds of freelance contributors.
Opposition politicians are opposed to the change of legislation and have said their will do their utmost to prevent its approval. However the ruling coalition, which has a majority in the lower house, says public service broadcasters around the world are having to economize in the present day and age and that it is determined to cut both institutions down to size and make them accountable to the Supreme Audit Office for the way they spend taxpayers money.
