Under the proposal, the Lower House will be able to choose council members from the list made by civic organisations representing a variety of interests, including political parties. Another part of the proposal gives the broadcasting councils the power to create supervisory commissions for overseeing the financing of public broadcasters. Interestingly, these fiscal review bodies would themselves be, in fact, financed from Czech Television or Czech Radio budgets. It would be a good idea if the councils were strong and independent of politicians and political parties. But, of course, they are not, and it is a legitimate fear that politicians could push to cut funding of programmes unfavourable to their party's interests.
Czech politicians expect public media to act more or less as their PR agency.
They have also hinted that if this cosy situation were significantly threatened, the whole idea of public broadcasting could be threatened as well. He said that if, at the beginning of this new millennium, public media can still not guarantee objective journalism, it might simply be better to privatise public broadcasting and not bother people with television and radio fees anymore. Never mind that public television exists in every European state. If public broadcasting fails to live up to Mr Langer's expectations, then Czechs will have to be satisfied with another private station, such as Nova TV, pumping out tabloid news and the cheapest American schlock films and sitcoms. In all, with public condemnation, attempts to prosecute in the courts, manoeuvres to alter legislation and thinly veiled threats to privatise public media, one might assume that an overall assault on the media is already underway.