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Summary for: Czech media funding vote set for 4 a.m. Saturday morning as protests growCzech MPs are scheduled to hold an initial vote on abolishing television and radio license fees at 4:36 a.m. Saturday, as the government’s push to change public-media funding draws street protests and a planned strike.
Demonstrators filled Prague’s Malostranské náměstí on Friday evening. Further protests are planned in Brno on Saturday and Prague’s Old Town Square at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Employees of Czech Television and Czech Radio have announced an all-day strike for Nov. 3 in response to the proposal, which would replace license fees with direct financing from the state budget.
Overnight vote follows limits on debate
The governing coalition of ANO, SPD and the Motorists added the funding bill to Friday’s agenda and prioritized its consideration. It had not appeared on the original program.
MPs reached the opening debate approximately 10 hours after the sitting began. With more than 60 lawmakers registered to speak, the coalition limited discussion to nine hours and capped ordinary MPs’ speaking time at 20 minutes.
The overnight voting time was approved on a proposal from Chamber Speaker and SPD leader Tomio Okamura. Saturday’s vote concerns the bill’s first reading, rather than final passage into law.
Culture Minister Oto Klempíř defended the proposal as a standard European approach. He rejected claims that changing the funding model amounted to an attack on democracy or would end the broadcasters’ independence.
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš likewise dismissed opposition warnings as lies.
Okamura described abolishing the fees as a key SPD priority and accused Czech Television of manipulation and acting against the country’s interests.
Weekend rallies and a November strike
Civic group Milion chvilek is organizing Saturday’s Brno protest and Sunday’s gathering on Old Town Square.
Leaders of all five parliamentary opposition parties attended Friday evening’s demonstration near the Chamber of Deputies.
STAN leader Vít Rakušan welcomed the fact that protesters could be heard inside parliament. ODS leader Martin Kupka criticized Okamura’s handling of proceedings, while Pirate leader Zdeněk Hřib accused the government of following an authoritarian playbook.
The proposed overhaul has also drawn criticism beyond party politics.
The Czech Syndicate of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders and the leadership of the Czech Rectors Conference have raised objections. The rectors supported retaining the license-fee model and criticized the legislative process.
The European Federation of Journalists and the European Broadcasting Union have urged MPs to allow proper scrutiny and public discussion.
The central dispute is whether direct budget funding would leave Czech Television and Czech Radio vulnerable to political pressure. The government rejects that argument; opponents say the funding mechanism is essential to protecting editorial independence.
