Editors-in-chief of numerous Czech media outlets published a joint appeal in early October 2026 addressed to politicians at the national, regional and municipal level, regardless of party affiliation. It was signed, among others, by representatives of Czech Radio, Czech Television, the Czech News Agency, the newspapers Právo and Deník, the websites iDNES.cz, Novinky.cz and Seznam Zprávy, and the weeklies Respekt and Reflex.[1]
The authors of the appeal state that the media and their freedom and plurality are part of a democratic society, and they ask public officials for three things: rejection of violence, adherence to the principles of decent communication, and respect for free access to information. According to the text, neither the media nor politicians must incite or encourage violence, and they call on politicians to demand the same of their supporters and voters, including in discussions on social media.[1][2]
The second part concerns information held by public authorities. According to the appeal, the media and politicians have the right to decide with whom and how they communicate, but authorities and public institutions are not the property of those who run them. The signatories therefore insist that the official information output of authorities be accessible to everyone without distinction.[1][2]
Sources
- Deník — 5 October 2026
- Ekonomický deník