Czech Republic: new government bullying the media?
Around 2,000 employees of Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo) have signed an appeal in defence of public service media. They see their independence threatened by the government's plans to abolish public service media fees and make their financing part of the state budget.
An appealing package for voters
Info.cz sees the move as part of a carefully considered strategy to gain control of the broadcasters:
“State financing of public media is not taboo in Europe. On the contrary, it's the most common method. So why the heated debate? ... The politicians in the current coalition want to tame the public media and are selling this to their voters in an appealing package touting the abolishment of licence fees. The voters are satisfied. The opposition is sounding the alarm - but it bears some of the responsibility for the current situation. If it had addressed the public media's problems before they became so acute, the abolition of licence fees might not even be up for debate today.”
We're all carp in this pond
The signatories of the appeal by ČT and ČRo against the abolition of licence fees are right on all counts, Hospodářské noviny concludes:
“There is no objective reason to change this tried and tested financing model. ... There is, however, one strong subjective reason for the change, namely the Babiš government's barely concealed intention of keeping public service media on a tight leash. ... The signatories of the declaration aimed at preserving public service broadcasting are not simply protesting like carp against the draining of their pond. They are trying to prevent the current government from draining a much larger pond. In case no one has noticed yet: we're all carp in this pond.”