Czech Households to Stop Paying $9.45 TV Fee as State Takes Over Costs
Parliament advances a bill to replace the household broadcasting fee with state budget funding, a move that cuts public media budgets by 15 percent.
By Javier Cabrera ·
For millions of households in the Czech Republic, the monthly bill for television access will soon disappear. The governing coalition voted in the early hours of Saturday to move forward with legislation that ends the 205 crown, or $9.45, household broadcasting fee. The money will instead be drawn directly from the state budget.
The legislative change comes with a cost to the institutions that receive the funds. Under the proposal, funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio will drop by approximately 15 percent. Nominal funding levels will then remain static for several years. Prime Minister Andrej Babis, a billionaire populist who took office in December, pledged to abolish the fee during his campaign. He argues the new model is fairer to lower-income families and forces broadcasters to operate more efficiently.
Babis, whose three-party government is backed by the far-right SPD, has frequently criticized media coverage of his administration. In a Facebook post late on Friday, he dismissed fears that the changes threaten press freedom. "There is no war for independent media," he wrote. "There is no fight for democracy and no nationalisation of media is being prepared."
Critics view the shift as a step toward political control. Opposition parties have compared the overhaul to reforms implemented under Viktor Orban, the former prime minister of Hungary. Employees at the public broadcasters have expressed alarm, arguing that reliance on the state budget leaves them vulnerable to government pressure. The staff staged a strike in June to voice these concerns.
Public media currently hold a prominent position in Czech society. They rank among the most trusted news sources in the country, and Czech Television remains the most-watched broadcaster across multiple age groups. The reliance on state funds changes the financial dynamic between the government and these institutions.
Protesters plan to take to the streets in response to the vote. A civic group has organized a public demonstration for Sunday. Additionally, journalists and other employees at the broadcasters have announced a strike for November 3.
The bill has been referred to parliamentary committees for further discussion following the overnight session. The vote marks the next stage in the legislative process for the funding overhaul.
Source: Al Jazeera
