Post by European Broadcasting Union (EBU)

Czech public service media is facing one of the most severe funding cuts seen anywhere in Europe in recent years - and without proper safeguards, the proposed reform puts its independence at serious risk. Following EBU Director General Noel Curran's meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, we have submitted a formal analysis of the proposed reform to replace the licence fee with state budget funding for Česká televize and Czech Radio. Our position is clear: changing the funding model is a matter for the Czech authorities. But, doing this without a coherent, comprehensive set of safeguards, as is currently proposed, puts the future independence of Czech public service media at serious risk. The proposed cut would drop Czechia from 15th to 19th place in the EU for PSM funding as a share of GDP in a single year. EU law is also clear. Article 5 of the European Media Freedom Act, in force since August 2025, requires PSM funding to be adequate, sustainable, and predictable. The current proposal does not meet that standard. Our submission sets out seven practical, low-cost safeguards, drawn from the experience of European countries that have successfully transitioned to PSM state budget funding, that would align the reform with these principles. We remain at the Government's disposal to discuss the submission further and to share the experience of other European public broadcasters that have navigated similar reforms.