Thousands in Czech Republic Protest Against Government's Plan to Overhaul Public Media Funding
On Sunday, thousands gathered in Prague to protest Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's government plan to abolish the current fee system for public radio and television, making them fully dependent on the state budget.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Prague on Sunday to protest against the government's plan to change the funding model for public media. This is the latest in a series of protests, with a strike by public broadcaster employees planned for Monday.
The plan, approved earlier this week by the government, would eliminate the current fee paid by individuals, households, and companies for access to public radio and television. Instead, public media would become fully reliant on the state budget, a move critics say threatens their independence.
The proposal also includes significant cuts to the current budgets of public media and lacks any guarantees for future funding. Leaders of the state radio and television have warned that this would force them to lay off hundreds of employees.
