Czech Government's Plan to End Licence Fee Sparks EBU Criticism

The Czech government announced that from January 2027 it will replace the existing television licence fee with direct funding from the state budget for public service media. The proposal sets the budget for Czech Television at CZK 5.74 billion and for Czech Radio at CZK 2.065 billion, figures the broadcasters say amount to a real‑terms cut that would return funding to levels of two decades ago despite inflation and higher production costs.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and a coalition of international media organisations issued a joint statement warning that the plan lacks adequate safeguards for editorial independence, offers no ring‑fenced allocation, and was announced without prior consultation with the broadcasters or public debate. They argue that weakening funding and independence of public service media threatens democratic life and cultural production.

In response, staff at Czech Television and Czech Radio staged a strike on 22 June, protesting the reform and demanding a transparent discussion. The controversy is being debated at the EBU’s 96th General Assembly in Prague, where topics such as artificial intelligence and geopolitical pressures on public media are also on the agenda.