Czech MPs Vote to End TV Fee

The Czech governing coalition advanced a bill on Saturday to replace household television fees with state budget allocations. The measure ends the 205 crown charge, which costs households approximately $9.45 per month. Under the new framework, the government will provide direct funding to Czech Television and Czech Radio.

The proposal also reduces financial support for the two public broadcasters by roughly 15 percent. The bill stipulates that nominal funding levels will remain static for several years following the initial cut. Lawmakers voted during an overnight session that extended into the early hours of the day to refer the legislation to committees for further review.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who leads a three-party government supported by the far-right SPD, championed the reform. He pledged to abolish the fee before taking office in December of last year. Babis argues the shift benefits poorer households and forces broadcasters to improve operational efficiency. He stated that the change fulfills a promise made to voters.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Babis addressed concerns regarding editorial autonomy. He denied that the government intended to nationalize media or wage war against independent journalism. He wrote, “There is no war for independent media.” He added that no fight for democracy was being prepared.

Opposition parties compared the reform to changes implemented in Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Employees at the public broadcasters expressed alarm over the new funding structure. A strike in June demonstrated their concern that reliance on the state budget increases vulnerability to political pressure.

Public media maintain a strong position in Czech society. Czech Television ranks as the most-watched broadcaster across multiple age groups. The outlets also hold some of the highest trust ratings among news sources in the country.

A civic group scheduled a public demonstration for Sunday. Journalists and other staff at the broadcasters announced a strike for November 3.