# Prague rally against Czech broadcaster funding changes could draw hundreds of thousands

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/protest-in-prague-over-media-freedom-expected-to-be-one-of-biggest-in-czechias-history/
- Published: 2026-11-15T11:17:18+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T11:32:25+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/nov/15/czechia-protest-prague-media-freedom
- Topics: Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Up to 600,000 people are expected to protest in Prague.
- The dispute centres on replacing broadcaster licence fees with state funding.
- Babiš says the government will not interfere in editorial work.

## Summary

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to rally in Prague against the Czech government’s plan to scrap licence fees for public broadcasters and fund them from the state budget. Organisers say the demonstration could be one of the largest in the country’s history, reflecting concern that the change could give ministers greater influence over newsrooms.

The Million Moments for Democracy group expects 400,000 to 600,000 people at Letná Plain, following weeks of protests and a strike by Czech TV and Czech Radio staff. The proposed changes would cut the broadcasters’ budgets by about 15% and have been criticised by international media organisations, which cite concerns about media independence in countries including Slovakia and Hungary. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš rejects claims that the plan threatens editorial freedom; the current licence fees total 205 koruna (£7.03) a month.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.