Czech Radio chief: funding reform is aimed at weakening public broadcasters

The heads of Czech Radio and Czech Television have criticised the government's plan to replace licence fees with direct funding from the state budget, warning it could undermine the independence of public service media. Czech Radio Director General René Zavoral said the proposal would cut the broadcaster's annual budget by around CZK 411 million and force reductions in programming, regional broadcasting and jobs. He said the debate was not really about saving money, but about taking funds away from public service media, weakening them and destabilising them. He also questioned whether the plan complies with the European Media Freedom Act.