Czech journalists’ union calls for financial independence of public broadcasters

The Czech Journalists’ Union has urged politicians to support the financial independence of public broadcasters Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo), citing its importance for their continued operation. The call comes amid parliamentary debates over a new bill proposing an increase in public broadcasting fees starting January, raising the monthly ČT fee by CZK 15 and the ČRo fee by CZK 10. The union emphasized that financial independence is vital for media freedom, noting that radio fees haven’t been adjusted in 20 years, and TV fees in 17. The proposed legislation also broadens the scope of who must pay, extending fees to households with internet-capable devices, and simplifies fees for businesses by basing them on employee numbers.