License fees for public media supported by over 80 percent of Czechs

The current license fee rate is supported by 84 percent of the public when it comes to Czech Radio and 81 percent when it comes to Czech Television, according to a newly released large scale survey conducted by polling agencies Median and STEM/MARK. License fees are the main source of income for both broadcasters.

Both Czech Radio and Czech Television also came out as the most trusted news sources in the country according to the survey initiated jointly by the public broadcasters.

Director of Czech Television Petr Dvořák said that, due to recent proposals for radical changes in the financing of public broadcasters, it is necessary to publicly discuss what services public broadcasters should provide and what the impact of revising their financing would be.

A proposal by the Freedom and Direct Democracy Party to cut license fees by CZK 2.1 billion would mean the liquidation of Czech Television, cancelling channels and nearly completely ending the production of any of the television’s programmes. This would mean that Czech Television would not be able to fulfill the services that are required of it by law, the public television director said.

The same proposal would see Czech Radio lose CZK 1.2 billion in annual funds, up to 60 percent of its current budget. Czech Radio Director René Zavoral said this would also mean a cancellation of many of the radio’s channels, large scale downsizing and a drastic limitation in the services it provides.

The license fee rate paid for Czech Radio is currently CZK 45 a month and has not changed since 2005. Adjusted to inflation, it has in fact decreased to roughly CZK 33.