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Daniel Stach, one of the Czech Republic’s best-known television presenters, tells Gavin Lee on France 24 why he is prepared to walk away from his career rather than work under changes that he says will threaten the independence of public broadcasting. As hundreds of thousands take to the streets of Prague, Stach explains why he is joining the protests against the government’s proposed overhaul of public media funding – and what is at stake for Czech television, journalism and democracy.
“Hands off the media,” The banners of the protesters in Prague, as hundreds of thousands rally in the Czech capital against the plans by the right wing goverment to overall funding for public broadcasters. Demostrators say the move, pushed by the populist billionaire prime minister Andre Babis, will erode media independence and democracy.
Opposition parties compared the proposals in an October bill to changes in Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who built an array of pro-government media. Babiš has vowed to press ahead with the plan despite the protests and denied that it would affect media freedom.
