A one-day walkout at Czech Television and Czech Radio curtailed broadcasts Tuesday as workers challenged a government plan to move funding to the state budget and reduce it by 15%, Reuters reported.
Czech Television’s round-the-clock news service showed an unlit newsroom, while presenters wearing black read from scripts. The strike came amid a dispute over the independence and financial viability of the country’s public broadcasters.
Reuters reported that the governing coalition plans to end the 205-crown ($9.43) monthly household fee that currently funds the broadcasters and replace it with state-budget financing. The proposed 15% reduction would put Czech Television’s nominal budget at its 2008 level and Czech Radio’s at its 2005 level, Reuters reported. The broadcasters have described the cuts as unsustainable, according to Reuters.
Critics cited by Reuters say annual funding decisions by the government could make the broadcasters more vulnerable to political pressure. Jan Molacek, a Czech Television reporter and member of the strike committee, warned that the proposal could give coalition parties influence over media content. He said lawmakers should examine funding alternatives at length and write safeguards into law to protect against political interference.
Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Monday that ending the fee would fulfill a promise to reduce household costs. He denied that the government sought control of public media and said lawmakers could revise the bill during further debate.
The strike follows lawmakers’ preliminary backing of the funding shift last month. Reuters reported that opposition parties compared the plan with media changes made in Hungary during former Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s tenure; Orban is a Babis ally. Demonstrations supported by artists and students were planned for Tuesday afternoon. Parliament has yet to complete consideration of the bill, and Reuters gave no date for a later vote.
