Czech public media staff strike, citing government threat to independence

Plan to put funding under direct government control has sparked widespread opposition, with critics fearing political interference.Czech public media employees have staged a one-day “warning” strike, demanding the government drop plans to place the funding of Czech Television (CT) and Czech Radio (CRo) under its direct control.The strike, threatened weeks ago, was centred on CT’s headquarters in Prague on Monday and followed a large public protest at the same spot the previous day. It was the latest of many rallies warning that the populist government is threatening the independence of the country’s much-respected public media.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Hungarian MPs approve PM limits to block potential return of Orbanlist 2 of 4From a meatball lunch to a hug: The normalisation of Sweden’s far rightlist 3 of 4Israel slams EU’s Kallas for ‘apartheid’ comment: Are ties unravelling?list 4 of 4Czech police detain Russian priest over ‘white substance’ findend of listThe strikers, civil society groups, and large cohorts of the public worry that the government of Prime Minister Andrej Babis is seeking to exert political control over the media outlets. The cabinet last week approved a long-threatened switch from a licence fee system to direct financing from the state budget.Under the plan, the outlets would also see their funding cut to 2008 levels. The previous government last year raised CT’s level of funding for the first time in 17 years.Babis has said the new funding model would be fairer to poorer households and encourage the outlets to work harder at efficiency.Critics say the change would give the government power to intervene in the broadcasters’ work. They point to similar efforts by hardline governments in Hungary and Slovakia in recent years.Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and other media observers have slammed the government move and the potential impact on state broadcasters.Several programmes on Monday began with a minute’s delay and a countdown clock on the screen, with an explanatory note, as thousands of journalists and other state media employees joined the strike.