Czechs gather in big numbers to reject government's plan to overhaul funding of public media

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Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in Prague against a government plan to overhaul funding for public broadcasters

Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in Prague against a government plan to overhaul funding for public broadcasters

PRAGUE -- Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in Prague on Sunday against a plan by the government of Czech billionaire Andrej Babiš to overhaul funding for public broadcasters that many say will erode media independence and democracy.

The massive protest took place at the capital's Letná Park, where huge crowds gathered during the 1989 Velvet Revolution, which ended more than 40 years of communist rule in the country.

The rally, just two days before the anniversary of the 1989 protests, drew an estimated 350,000 people, said Mikuláš Minář, the lead organizer from the Million Moments for Democracy group. They demanded that the government withdraw its plan and expressed concern that Babiš and his coalition partners pose a threat to democracy.

Under the plan, the country’s public radio and television broadcasters would be financed from the state budget, replacing the existing system of regular fees paid by individuals, households and businesses. The broadcasters would receive about 15% less money than they do now, which could lead to layoffs, limited production and program cancellations.

Critics say the overhaul would give the three-party coalition the means to take control of the media, similar to what populist governments did in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico and in Hungary, before former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was ousted from power in April.

“We refuse the Slovak scenario,” one protest banner read. “Hands off the media,” said another.

The ruling coalition unexpectedly moved ahead with the plan in the lower house of Parliament on Oct. 24. Its lawmakers limited the opposition's speaking time before voting at 4:36 a.m. to advance the bill through the first of three parliamentary readings.

Thousands took to the streets the following day to protest the rushed process, and public media employees went on strike on Nov. 3.

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