Czech president says public service tv broadcaster should be nationalized

Czech President Miloš Zeman has come under fire for suggesting that public service television broadcaster Czech Television be nationalised and no longer financed by license payments. Zeman made the comments in replies to a website. And his spokesman on Thursday said that the president is seeking to have talks with Minister of Finance and ANO leader Andrej Babiš about such a move. Babiš sadi that the financing of the broadcaster was not transparent and that the influence of politicians should be removed from it. The director of Czech Television said the state financed model of public service television belonged better to states to the east of the Czech Republic.

Author: Chris Johnstone