Czech Public Service Media Under Pressure: Petr Szczepanik on the Risks of Funding Cuts

CIRG research team member Petr Szczepanik has published a commentary on the website of the international research network Reinventing Public Interest Media, examining the growing political pressure on Czech Television and Czech Radio. The article highlights the risks associated with plans to abolish licence fees, shift to direct state budget funding, and introduce cuts that could reduce the two broadcasters’ annual revenues by approximately CZK 1.4 billion.

Szczepanik places the Czech situation in a broader European context, drawing on examples from Denmark, Slovakia, and Norway to demonstrate that state budget funding does not necessarily undermine the independence of public service media. What matters most, however, is the existence of institutional safeguards that protect broadcasters from political interference in their financing and operations.

 

The article also warns that budget cuts could affect not only independent journalism but also innovation in digital content, programming for younger audiences, and investment in original audiovisual production. Such reductions would have consequences for independent producers, screenwriters, directors, and other professionals working in the Czech audiovisual industry. Szczepanik emphasizes that public service media are not merely providers of public-interest content but also key institutions supporting the development of the domestic cultural and creative sectors.

 

Read the full article: Czech Public Media Under Pressure: Funding Cuts and the Fight for Independence