The rebels announced that their strike was over when they were told that they would not lose their jobs. Vaclav Havel approved, saying that his first decisions seem to be sensible . In other words, an illegal coup succeeded with the blessing of the country s president and a group of ambitious politicians. Financial reforms at the station seem further away than ever. The new TV Council is supposed to be made up of non-political appointments but that has not assuaged the demands of employees in other country s television stations.
Independent TV is also under attack.
Vladimir elezny, founder and owner of Nova TV, which has the largest share of viewers in the Czech Republic worries that there will be a process to prevent him from keeping his licence when it next comes up for renewal. There have also been indications that he might be under investigation for financial impropriety. Many predict the demise of the opposition coalition before the next parliamentary elections scheduled for June 2002. There is an identifiable group of MPs in the party who would welcome this and happily fall into the arms of the Quad coalition. The problem for the Quad has always been how to extend its narrow appeal beyond Prague intellectuals and businessmen and into the wider Czech society.