PRAGUE – Czech public media face growing threats as opposition leader Andrej Babiš, widely regarded as a frontrunner in this autumn’s general election, advocates for direct state funding of broadcasters. His proposed reforms, mirroring those in Slovakia and Hungary, have sparked concerns over potential political influence on public media.

The current centre-right government has proposed increasing public media licence fees to stabilise the finances of Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo), which are facing increasing financial difficulties. At the same time, many private media outlets remain under the control of powerful oligarchs who reportedly use their influence to further personal and political interests.

The proposed reform includes an increase in the monthly TV licence fee from CZK 135 (about €5.40) to CZK 150 (€6) and the radio licence fee from CZK 45 (€1.80) to CZK 55 (€2.20). Despite inflation and rising operating costs, these fees have not been increased for 16 years for TV and 19 years for radio. Households using internet-connected devices would also have to contribute.

Czech Television and Czech Radio are among the most trusted institutions in the country. According to the Reuters Institute, more than 60% of citizens trust them. “Let’s not let the opposition destroy the pillars of our democracy,” said Czech Culture Minister Martin Baxa (ODS, ECR) in defence of the public broadcasters.

However, the plan has been delayed several times due to opposition from Babiš’s ANO and the far-right Freedom and Democracy Party. A key vote is now scheduled for 14 February.

Babiš has criticised the fee increases, describing them as an unfair financial burden on citizens and businesses at a time of economic hardship. “This proposal is nothing more than a hidden tax,” he told a parliamentary session last week.

His alternative plan is to merge ČT and ČRo into a single organisation funded directly from the state budget.

“Combining ČT and ČRo is the path to efficiency,” Babiš argued, claiming the merger would save costs and streamline operations. Critics, however, warn that such a move would compromise editorial independence and make public broadcasters vulnerable to political pressure.

President Petr Pavel has also expressed concern that state-funded media could lead to government interference. “In the Czech context, this is a serious risk,” he told Czech Radio, adding that he would veto any legislation similar to Slovakia’s model.

Slovakia merged its public radio and television into a single entity, RTVS, in 2011 to cut costs, but the anticipated savings never materialised.

In 2024, the Slovak government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, passed a controversial amendment transforming RTVS into Slovak Television and Radio (STVR). The new structure gives the culture ministry significant control, including the power to appoint key supervisory members and influence content through an ethics commission made up of representatives from religious and cultural organisations.

These changes have been widely criticised by media freedom organisations and the European Union, who warn that the changes undermine media independence and violate European laws on public media.

Hungary, for its part, has gone a step further. In 2015, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán placed public broadcasters under state control, leading to widespread layoffs and accusations of turning the media into a propaganda tool.

In Austria, the Freedom Party is advocating for the abolition of licence fees for public broadcasters and their replacement with funding from the state budget – a policy similar to ANO’s vision. Media experts warn that this could undermine journalistic autonomy.

France has taken a different path. It abolished the TV licence fee in 2022 and instead funded public media through a portion of VAT revenues. While this has temporarily eased the financial pressure on households, questions remain about the long-term viability of the system.

Sweden replaced its traditional public media fees with a direct tax collected through income tax returns. Public broadcasters such as Swedish Radio (SR) and Swedish Television (SVT) receive pre-determined funding, which ensures long-term financial stability. Norway and Finland have also moved away from the licence fee model, with public media now fully-funded from the state budget, although mechanisms to ensure independence have also been introduced.

(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)