{
  "id": 20199783,
  "title": "Sorge um Medien: Riesendemo gegen umstrittene Medienreform in Tschechien",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/sorge-um-medien-riesendemo-gegen-umstrittene-medienreform-in",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-15T15:31:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/sorge-um-medien-riesendemo-gegen-umstrittene-medienreform-in-tschechien/100270017.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "A mass rally has marked the peak of protests against the planned abolition of broadcasting fees in the Czech Republic. On Sunday, supporters of the \"Million Moments for Democracy\" organization gathered at the Letna Square in Prague. Mikulas Minar, chairman of the event's organization committee, reported to the news agency CTK that about 350,000 to 450,000 people participated in the rally, which is the largest demonstration in the country since the \"Velvet Revolution\" at the end of 1989. The police did not provide separate figures, stating that they do not publish such numbers, according to a police spokesperson. Critics warn that the right-wing government under Prime Minister and billionaire Andrej Babis might use the reform to gain control over the public media. Demonstrators carried signs reading \"Hands off the media\" and \"Freedom is not a given.\" Another poster stated, \"Does Babis want state television? Then he should go east.\" Traffic became chaotic as more and more participants joined the demonstration, leading to overcrowded public transportation, with trains and subway cars packed to capacity. Many people had traveled from other cities by bus and train. Mikulas Minar, the main organizer, urged the crowd, saying, \"The future of our country depends on people like you.\" The government plans to finance public broadcasters directly from the state budget instead of through fees, with a proposed law passed in the parliament's first reading. The budget cuts are expected to be over 15 percent. Critics accuse the government of actually aiming to control program content and personnel decisions. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka accused the organizers of turning the rally into a business model, asking during a televised debate, \"What does this association contribute, what have the organizers done for the citizens of the Czech Republic?\" Macinka belongs to the right-wing motorists' party that formed the first government in the country. The EU has recently sent student and faculty representatives to demonstrate against the plans. Over 2,000 students and journalism graduates signed an open letter expressing concerns about the future independence of Czech Television (CT) and Czech Radio (CRo). The EU Commission is monitoring the situation in the Czech Republic following previous reports. The EU is committed to the European Media Freedom Act, which obliges its member states to ensure the independent operation of public media.",
  "summary": "Eine riesige Menschenmenge protestiert in Tschechien gegen geplante Änderungen bei der Finanzierung der öffentlich-rechtlichen Sender. Was sie an den Plänen der Regierung besonders beunruhigt.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}