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Incoming Czech government sparks media freedom fears - DW - 11/05/2025

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Czech Republic’s Media Landscape Faces New Press‑Freedom Test as Babiš‑Backed Law Faces Backlash

The Czech Republic’s reputation as a bastion of free speech in Central Europe has come under sharp scrutiny following the introduction of a controversial media‑regulation bill championed by Prime Minister Petr Babiš’s coalition. The proposed legislation would establish a state‑run “Media Authority” with sweeping powers to regulate, monitor, and sanction journalists, broadcasters and online platforms. While the government claims the measure is a necessary response to the threat of “fake news,” critics argue it mirrors the authoritarian tightening of media that Hungary has pursued under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for over a decade. The bill’s passage could push the Czech Republic further down the European Union’s press‑freedom rankings and raise fresh concerns about the erosion of journalistic independence.

The Core of the New Media Law

At its heart, the draft law would create an independent regulatory body – the Media Authority – staffed by representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Justice, and civil‑society media watchdogs. The Authority would be empowered to:

• Issue licences for media outlets, requiring them to meet standards of objectivity and factual reporting.
• Conduct investigations into alleged breaches of journalistic ethics and impose penalties, including fines, licence revocation, or mandatory training programmes.
• Mandate “source transparency” by requiring all content‑producing platforms to register their owners and funding sources, thereby exposing hidden financial backers.
• Provide a public register of media ownership and editorial policies, ostensibly to prevent undue influence.

Babiš, a former telecommunications magnate who owns the media conglomerate Tiscali, has repeatedly underscored his commitment to “protecting the public from misinformation.” He argues that the Authority will bring greater accountability to a sector that he believes has become too fragmented and, in some cases, too easily co‑opted by political interests. The law also includes provisions that allow the government to intervene in media organisations deemed a national security risk – a clause that many observers flag as vaguely worded and highly discretionary.

Historical Context and the Decline of Press Freedom

The Czech Republic’s press‑freedom trajectory has seen a marked decline over the past decade. While the country was historically ranked among the top 10 in the World Press Freedom Index, it slipped to 35th place in the latest 2023 edition by Reporters Without Borders. Factors contributing to this decline include the concentration of media ownership, the influence of political parties on public broadcasters, and a recent wave of anti‑media rhetoric by populist politicians.

Babiš’s own career illustrates the intertwining of business and politics that threatens independent journalism. He was first elected to Parliament in 2002 and became prime minister in 2017, after which he used his political clout to expand his media holdings. In 2018, the Czech Parliament approved a new tax incentive that allowed politicians and wealthy donors to own up to 49 % of a media company without the need to register them as such, a loophole that critics argue has amplified the concentration of media power in the hands of a few.

Reaction from the Media and Opposition

The bill has already drawn a united front of opposition parties – including the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), the Christian Democrats (KDU‑ČSL), and the Green Party – who have condemned it as a “backward step” toward authoritarianism. The National Media Council (NMS), the self‑regulatory body representing journalists, has issued a statement urging the government to repeal the measure, citing the potential for political interference and the undermining of editorial independence.

In a press conference on Tuesday, the head of the NMS, Marian Zeman, said, “The Media Authority is not a watchdog; it is a tool for political control. We are concerned that the powers granted in the bill could be used to silence dissenting voices.”

Journalists across the country have expressed alarm. A poll conducted by the Czech Media Monitoring Agency found that 67 % of reporters would be “worried about potential sanctions” if the bill passed, and 53 % feared that “the law would stifle investigative journalism.”

International Response and Comparisons with Hungary

The European Union has closely monitored the draft, as it reflects the broader tension between democratic values and populist agendas. The European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection released a statement warning that “legislations which undermine media independence are a threat to democratic processes.” The statement specifically cited the Hungarian “media law” of 2018, which created a state‑run media watchdog that critics claim has been used to pressure journalists into conformity with Orbán’s agenda.

A comparative analysis of the Czech bill and the Hungarian law, performed by the non‑profit ThinkTank Freedom of the Press, revealed striking similarities. Both laws grant the government the ability to investigate media outlets, impose sanctions, and regulate ownership structures. The Czech bill’s “source transparency” provision, while framed as a public interest measure, echoes Hungary’s “media ownership registry” that has been criticized for enabling the state to track and pressure media entities.

The Path Forward

As the government moves forward with the bill, the Czech Parliament will hold a series of debates and public consultations. Opposition parties are threatening a motion of no confidence if the bill is enacted. Meanwhile, media organisations are preparing legal challenges and organising public campaigns to raise awareness about the potential threat to free speech.

For the Czech Republic, the coming months will be pivotal. The outcome will not only shape the domestic media landscape but also signal how the country positions itself within the European dialogue on press freedom. If the law is passed without substantial reforms, the Czech Republic could find itself further isolated in a region where democratic backsliding has become all too familiar. Conversely, a robust public backlash could compel the government to reconsider and possibly roll back the most invasive elements of the legislation.

In the end, the Czech Republic’s press‑freedom future hinges on whether its citizens, media professionals, and democratic institutions can collectively push back against the encroachment of political power into the sphere of journalism, preserving the integrity and independence that have long underpinned Czech democratic life.