Thousands of people protested public media funding changes in Prague
Thousands of people protested in Prague’s Old Town Square on Sunday against plans to abolish television and radio licence fees and fund Czech Television and Czech Radio through the state budget. Critics say the changes threaten media independence. The governing coalition advanced the bill through its first reading after an overnight debate; broadcaster employees called a strike for November 3.
More context
Thousands of people gathered in Prague’s Old Town Square on Sunday to protest the government’s planned overhaul of public media funding. The demonstration, titled “Hands Off the Media,” was organized by the Million Moments for Democracy association. Under the proposal, the broadcasters’ budgets would instead come from state coffers, replacing the existing television and radio licence-fee system. Critics say the change threatens media freedom. Governing coalition lawmakers advanced the bill through its first reading in the lower house early Saturday after a contentious overnight debate. The opposition says the changes would move the broadcasters toward state control and threaten their independence; it plans to challenge the way the bill passed before the Constitutional Court and the European Commission. Employees of both broadcasters have called a full-day strike for Tuesday, November 3. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš leads the government.
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Reporting
- Bloomberg — Thousands Protest in Prague Against Public Media Funding Change - Bloomberg
- Jacksonville Journal-Courier (with Associated Press) — Thousands protest in Prague as government advances public media funding overhaul
- Reuters — Thousands protest Czech government's public media overhaul after rushed vote
- radio.cz — Thousands protest in Prague against plans to abolish public media fees | Radio Prague International
Verifier’s note
All four report that thousands protested in Prague on Sunday against the government’s proposed public-media funding changes. The other results describe earlier Brno protests or announce the Prague rally in advance, rather than reporting the event itself.