Czech Households to Stop Paying 205-Crown TV Fee

Czech households will no longer pay the 205 crown ($9.45) monthly fee for public broadcasting after lawmakers voted to refer the abolishing bill to committees in the early hours of Saturday. The measure replaces the household payment with direct funding from the state budget, a change that Prime Minister Andrej Babis pledged to enact before taking office last December.

The proposal also reduces total funding for Czech Television and Czech Radio by approximately 15 percent. Under the plan, nominal funding levels will remain static for several years following the initial cut. Babis, who leads a three-party coalition backed by the far-right SPD party, defended the shift as a fairer distribution of costs for poorer families. He argued the new model would force broadcasters to operate more efficiently.

In a Facebook post published late on Friday, Babis dismissed concerns that the reform threatens press freedom. "There is no war for independent media," he wrote. "There is no fight for democracy and no nationalisation of media is being prepared." He characterized the change as a fulfillment of his campaign promise rather than an attack on the institution.

Critics have warned that tying broadcaster finances to the state budget exposes them to government influence. Opposition parties have compared the move to media reforms implemented in Hungary by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Employees at Czech public broadcasters have also expressed alarm, citing the risk of political pressure if the state controls the flow of funds.

Public media currently hold a prominent position in Czech society, ranking among the most trusted news sources in the country. Czech Television remains the most-watched broadcaster across multiple age groups. This high level of public trust raises the stakes for the upcoming legislative process, as the government seeks to restructure a sector that plays a central role in national information.

The bill now moves to parliamentary committees for further discussion. In the interim, civic groups have organized a public demonstration for Sunday. Additionally, journalists and other staff members at the public broadcasters have announced a strike for November 3 to protest the funding changes and assert their independence.