Czech Broadcasters Walk Out Over Funding Change

On June 22, 2026, workers at Czech Television and Czech Radio stopped working to protest a new law. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's government had approved a plan to change how these broadcasters get their money, according to The Guardian.

Both networks went off the air at the same time. That level of coordination signals something important: the workers see real stakes in this dispute.

How the Money Works Matters

Here's what's changing. Right now, households and businesses pay a licence fee — essentially a tax — that goes directly to the broadcasters. This money arrives regularly and sits apart from the government's regular budget process.

The new plan would funnel the money through the government instead. Every year, when politicians decide how much money different government agencies get, they would also decide how much goes to television and radio.

This distinction might sound technical, but it has real consequences. When money comes from the government budget, whoever is in power can use funding as leverage. Cut the money if a broadcaster criticizes you. Boost it if they cover you favorably. Across Central and Eastern Europe — particularly in Hungary — governments have used exactly this tactic to shape what gets aired and what doesn't.

The Political Context

Babiš and his ANO party won elections in 2025 and returned to power with strong support. Since then, the coalition has moved quickly on various institutional changes, and this funding reform fits that pattern. The government says the change is simply about streamlining finance and reducing paperwork for households. Those arguments make it harder for opponents to organize a clear, unified response.

Babiš himself has had tense relationships with media outlets over the years. That history adds weight to what workers fear about losing their independence.

What Broadcasters Lose

Under the new system, decisions about staffing, equipment, and long-term plans would depend on the government's budget priorities — which shift every year. Workers lose the protection that licence fees provide. Negotiations with the government are unlikely to be effective when your entire funding depends on the government's approval.

The strike isn't really about getting a raise or better conditions. It's a signal — sent to parliament, to the public, and to Europe's institutions that monitor media freedom.

The European Question

The European Union set rules in 2024 called the European Media Freedom Act. These rules say that public broadcasters need to be funded in a way that keeps them independent from government control. Decisions about money have to be transparent and can't be used to control what gets broadcast.

Whether the Czech law meets these standards is unclear. The European Commission has tools to review national laws on this issue, but these reviews can take a long time.

What Comes Next

The Czech government holds enough votes in parliament to keep the law in place. Opposition parties and civil society groups have procedural options to challenge it, but those are long shots.

The real pressure may come from outside. EU institutions and international press-freedom groups like Reporters Without Borders have started paying attention. That kind of international scrutiny — especially from Brussels — could matter more in the short term.

The workers chose to make the strike visible on air: empty screens and silent frequencies that audiences see immediately. That's clearer messaging than any parliamentary debate.