We are following with concern the recent developments surrounding the proposed abolition of licence fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio, and the potential impact of these changes on the independence of public service media.
Independent media and a free cultural sector are among the fundamental pillars of a democratic society. Their freedom is essential for open public debate, diversity of perspectives, and the ability to create freely and offer new ways of seeing the world.
MIDPOINT Institute, operating under the auspices of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (AMU), is an educational and training platform committed to promoting diverse creative voices, equal opportunities, and a safe, open environment for audiovisual creation. We therefore consider the protection of media independence and artistic freedom to be essential.
We join the call for political representatives to ensure that legislative processes are conducted democratically, transparently, and with sufficient space for expert and public discussion. The manner in which proposed changes to the funding of public service media were debated in the Chamber of Deputies on the night of October 23–24, 2026, raises serious questions in this regard.
We therefore stand alongside the institutions and individuals calling for informed, responsible, and respectful political and public debate.
