Czechs pack Prague's Old Town Square to protest government media plans
Protest organizers said the crowd reached the tens of thousands as critics warned the funding overhaul would reduce broadcaster independence.
- On Tuesday, thousands of Czechs filled Prague's Old Town Square to protest planned government changes to state broadcaster funding, warning the shift could threaten media independence.
- Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his populist ANO party pledged to eliminate license fees during last year's election, planning to transition broadcasters to a state-controlled budget starting this year.
- License fees increased last year for the first time in two decades to about $10 monthly. The government argues media governance remains unchanged, with parliament-appointed boards and inflation-adjusted budgets.
- Watchdog Reporters Without Borders criticized the plans as chaotic, "pulling the rug out" from under broadcasters. Protesters carried signs demanding "Hands Off the Media."
- Critics warn these changes mirror political control efforts in Slovakia and Hungary, the latter led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close European ally of Babis, raising fears of compromised independence.
24 Articles
24 Articles
In Prague tonight, thousands of people took part in a protest walk through the city center to the Czech Radio building chanting "We will not give you the media".
Czechs pack Prague's Old Town Square to protest government media plans
Thousands of Czechs filled Prague's Old Town Square on Tuesday to show their support for public media and protest planned government changes to funding of the state broadcasters that critics have warned will threaten their independence.
"Hands away from the media: Thousands protest in Prague against planned cuts in radio and television. They fear for the independence of the public-law media.
"Hands away from the media: Thousands protest in Prague against planned cuts in radio and television. They fear for the independence of the public-law media.
Thousands of people are once again demonstrating in Prague against the law on the nationalization of public media. People gathered on Old Town Square and marched in front of the Czech Radio building in Vinohrady at around 6 p.m. Tuesday's event, called "Hands Off the Media," was called by the Million Moments for Democracy association.
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