Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Prague, Brno, Ostrava, and other Czech cities following a pre-dawn parliamentary vote that advanced a controversial government plan to abolish mandatory broadcasting fees for public radio and television. The legislative move has triggered a strike across the country’s public media institutions.
Broadcasters Go Dark After Pre-Dawn Vote
On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, employees at Česká televize (ČT) and Český rozhlas (ČRo) walked off the job or altered their broadcasts in a coordinated protest called by a staff initiative and trade unions. The 24-hour news channel ČT24 featured a darkened newsroom. Presenters dressed in black opened the broadcast by reading a declaration about an unprecedented day in Czech public media history. Regular programming was largely suspended. It was replaced with repeats, music, and archival footage while maintaining hourly news updates and the traffic report “Grüne Welle”, according to broadcaster updates.
The job action responds to a draft bill spearheaded by Andrej Babiš’s government. The ruling coalition secured a first-reading approval for the legislation at 4:36 a.m. on a Saturday in late October in the Chamber of Deputies. Under the proposal, the traditional citizen-funded broadcasting fee would be abolished entirely. Direct allocations from the state budget would replace it. Demonstrators in Prague carried banners reading statements such as „Das Tschechische Fernsehen gehört dem Volkand “We are not giving up the media!
Coalition Pushes Immediate Budget Cuts
Prime Minister Babiš leads a governing coalition formed by his ANO party alongside the right-wing Motorists (Motoristé sobě) and the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party. Babiš dismissed the protesters’ concerns. He said that abolishing the fees would avoid wasting money and that it was part of the government program.
The draft legislation mandates an immediate budget reduction of more than 15 percent for the upcoming year compared to current levels. Broadcasters noted that such cuts would push institutional budgets back to levels seen roughly 20 years ago, as reported by Tagesschau.
Critics Warn of Political Interference
Union representatives have warned that combining state-controlled budgets with reduced funding would narrow the room to maneuver for broadcasters. Employee initiatives, media lawyers, and industry associations joined these warnings. Trade unionists warned of a path toward a „creeping nationalizationof the institutions.
This proposal, if passed, will give the governing coalition tools to politically influence the content of both public media outlets,
Jan Molacek, reporter with Czech Television
Critics point to neighboring Slovakia. The abolition of mandatory broadcast fees there in 2023 under Prime Minister Robert Fico was seen as a first step toward overhauling public broadcasting structures. Protesters in Prague wore triangular paper hats shaped like a beloved Czech television cartoon character, which have become a symbol of the demonstrations.
Thousands protest Czech government's public media overhaul after rushed vote https://t.co/R0AMV6Ceqk https://t.co/R0AMV6Ceqk
Government Defends the Legislative Plan
Prime Minister Babiš initially accused the opposition of falsehoods. He denied that the move was intended to restrict the broadcasters’ independence.
He later indicated willingness to explore alternative models. These included voluntary contributions paired with a state-guaranteed minimum sum for the broadcasters.
Demonstrators and staff emphasize the historical weight of public media in the country. They noted that the broadcasters served as a symbol of freedom in 1989.
The legislative package must clear the Senate. This is the second chamber of parliament.
The bill faces an expected veto from Petr Pavel. The ruling coalition holds a 108-seat majority in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies capable of overriding a presidential rejection.
