Thousands to join Prague protest in support of Czech Television and Radio

Thousands of people are expected to gather in central Prague on Sunday afternoon for a protest in support of Czech Television and Czech Radio, as public debate intensifies over a controversial proposal to change how the country’s public broadcasters are funded.

The demonstration, organized by the civic group Milion chvilek, will begin at Old Town Square and proceed toward the Government Office. Organizers say they plan to deliver a petition with more than 180,000 signatures calling for the withdrawal of a draft law that would replace public broadcasting fees with funding directly from the state budget.

The protest comes amid growing political and institutional tensions over the future of public media financing in Czechia, with critics warning the proposal could undermine the independence of national broadcasters.

At the center of the dispute is a government-backed draft law that would shift funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio away from traditional license fees and instead allocate a fixed amount from the state budget.

Supporters of the change argue it would simplify and stabilize funding for public media. However, critics — including opposition parties, media leadership, and a number of government ministries — say the proposal risks increasing political influence over independent journalism.

Milion chvilek, which previously organized a Prague demonstration on the same issue in early May, has described the draft law as deeply flawed. The group claims it has collected extensive public support against the proposal, including what it says are tens of thousands of signatures added in recent weeks.

The organization is also calling on the government to withdraw the legislation entirely, warning that further protests could follow if their demands are not met.

The Sunday demonstration is scheduled to start in the afternoon at Old Town Square, a frequent gathering point for major civic protests in Prague. Participants will then march toward the Straka Academy, where the Czech government is based.

Organizers say the petition will be formally delivered to government representatives during the event. The document reportedly contains more than 180,000 signatures, reflecting what the group describes as widespread public concern about the proposed reform.

A previous protest on the same issue in early May drew what organizers estimated as tens of thousands of participants, with similar demonstrations also taking place in regional cities across Czechia in recent weeks.

The draft law, prepared by the Ministry of Culture, would take effect next year if approved and would significantly alter the financial structure of Czech public broadcasting.

The proposal has drawn criticism from multiple ministries, including the Finance Ministry, which recently called for a revision, citing significant shortcomings and potential unintended consequences. The Interior Ministry and other departments have also raised objections.

Public broadcasting staff have been in a state of strike alert since late April, urging the government to abandon the plan. The Ministry of Culture has said the aim of the reform is to ensure long-term stability and transparency for public media, not to weaken their independence.