Students of Masaryk University from the Média nedáme MUNI initiative declared a strike alert on 27 October 2026 over the planned change in the funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio.[1][2]
Conditions of the strike
The initiative said on Instagram that it would go on strike if the abolition of licence fees reaches the third reading in the lower house of parliament without legally binding guarantees of the independence of both media. It would act the same way if the coalition shortened or bypassed the regular passage of the law or otherwise endangered freedom of expression, media independence and academic freedoms.[1][2]
Position of rectors and senates
The rector of Masaryk University, Martin Bareš, said he was following developments around public service media with great concern and called on the legislative and executive branches to take responsibility for preserving democratic values.[1][2] Ladislav Janíček, rector of Brno University of Technology, described the dependence of the media on the state budget as a fundamental risk of indirect political pressure. He also voiced concern that the planned amendment of the higher education act might be handled in a similar way.[1][2] The academic senates of the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts called for an open discussion of the draft law on public service media and of the draft of a new higher education act.[1][2]
Petition
A petition of students and teachers emerged from Masaryk University, calling on the government to withdraw the proposal to abolish the fees and to start an expert and public debate. If the government does not heed the call, the signatories, according to the text of the call, will support the strike of Czech Television and Czech Radio employees set for 3 November 2026. On 27 October 2026 at about 10:00 the petition had roughly 4,450 signatures.[1][2] The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague also declared a strike alert that day. Government politicians say, according to the Czech News Agency, that there is no threat to media independence.[1]
Chronology
- — Students of Masaryk University, led by the initiative Média nedáme MUNI, declared a strike alert over the planned change to the funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio. ČTK / České noviny Brněnská Drbna
Sources
- ČTK / České noviny — 27 October 2026
- Brněnská Drbna — 27 October 2026