Czech TV and Radio chiefs resist plan to scrap licence fees, meet with coalition ministers

Directors of Czech public media – René Zavoral of Czech Radio and Hynek Chudárek of Czech Television – met on 9 June at the Government Office with senior coalition ministers, including Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, to oppose a proposal to eliminate the licence fee. The government aims to replace the fee with direct budget contributions, drawing on a draft law from the Ministry of Culture that would allocate billions of crowns to the broadcasters from the state budget. The ministers discussed related parliamentary initiatives that would also exempt seniors, people with disabilities, children in need and small firms from the fee.

Separately, the Radio‑Television Broadcasting Council ruled that a Czech Television news report on same‑sex couples violated the broadcasting law by failing to provide balanced viewpoints, following a complaint by the Alliance for the Family. The council’s decision reinforces the broader debate over public‑media regulation and funding reforms championed by the ruling coalition.