The Ministry of Culture (MC) is the body responsible for media in the CR. The Ministry manages the asset of publishers of periodic publications and it prepares legislation in the field.
Television broadcasters have a number of obligations according to European regulations (Directive 2010/13/EU on Audio-visual Media Services).
The legislative framework for radio and television broadcasting has allowed the creation of a dual system of broadcasting, i.e. the coexistence of a public and a private sector, with the consequence of exceptional dynamic development in the field of media. In 2001, the new Act on Radio and Television Broadcasting (Act No. 231/2001 Coll.) was adopted. This Act defines the rights and duties of operators of radio and television broadcasting, the license system, and the registration of rebroadcasting operators. In 2010 the Act on Audio-visual Media Services was adopted in conformity with Directive 2010/13/EU. The Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting oversees adherence to legislation in the area of radio and television broadcasting, the licensing of radio and television broadcasters, and the issuing of decisions on the registration of rebroadcasters, and it also maintains a register of broadcasters, rebroadcasters, and providers of audio-visual media services on demand.
Czech Television, Czech Radio, and some other broadcasters are defined in the law by the specific task of public service broadcasting that they perform. These operators are independent of the state, they do not receive any state subventions, and their activity is financed with the income from radio and television fees and the income from their commercial activities (especially advertising and yields from copyright, rental of technical equipment etc.). Czech Television and Czech Radio provide services for the public by producing and broadcasting television or radio programmes or other multimedia content and support services. The work of Czech Television is overseen by the Council for Television Broadcasting and Czech Radio’s work is overseen by the Council for Czech Radio. The members of the Council are appointed by the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the CR. One of Council’s tasks is to appoint the Director-General of Czech Television and Czech Radio.
The new Act on Radio and TV Fees came into force in 2005. Since 1 September 2005 the radio fee has been 45 CZK, and the TV fee has been 135 CZK since 1 January 2008. Since 1 June 2010 radio and television receivers that are an integral part of a terminal mobile telecommunication device (i.e. a cell phone) are not subject to fee requirements.
The number of television programmes was limited until the change in digital technology (DVB-T technology). Two commercial television stations, NOVA and PRIMA, came onto the market alongside public Czech Television. The transformation of digital broadcasting in the CR has proceeded in conformity with the Concept of Digital Radio and TV Broadcasting Transition in the CR (July 2001). The transition to digital television broadcasting was proceeding in conformity with changes introduced to the relevant legislation (e.g. Act on Communications).
According to the Act on Radio and Television Broadcasting, Czech Television and Czech Radio are required to compile a programme schedule that provides a well-balanced selection of programmes for all inhabitants with regard to age, sex, skin colour, faith, religion, political or other opinions, national, ethnic or social origin, and minority status. The Council for Radio and TV Broadcasting oversees compliance with the Act.
In August 2013 Czech Television began broadcasting two new channels: the cultural channel ČT Art and the children’s channel ČT: D, both airing on the same broadcasting channel but in different time slots. The arts channel airs during the hours from 8pm to 6am. With the creation of a special channel, culture is for the first time being given consistent and regular space during prime broadcasting hours and in a public medium. ČT also supports the creation of new cultural programming.
There are some channels devoted solely to music among the commercial television stations – TV Óčko, Retro Music TV, and FajnRockMusic TV and Radio. There are also online television stations targeting the young generation and culture. One of them is Mall.tv, which also provides access to broadcasts of Czech cultural performances, events, and exhibitions during the COVID-19 crisis.
The only legislation that regulates the publishing periodical press in the Czech Republic is the Act on the Rights and Responsibilities of Publishing the Periodical Press and Amendment of Certain other Regulations (Press Act 2000). In conformity with this Act the MC maintains a Register of Publishers of the Periodical Press. The National Library of the CR processes statistical data on the periodic press based on obligatory copies sent to it by publishers; these data are part of the statistics for culture for individual years.
The MC uses its grant programmes to support cultural periodicals in the form of grants in all fields and disciplines. The MC is the only source of support for the majority of literary magazine publishers, but the budget is very limited. The MC also announces a grant/funding competition for supporting the media and audio-visual production among children, for the education of teachers in the field of media, and for projects promoting the Czech media field abroad.
In addition, it organises the ‘Programme of Support for Promoting and Receiving Information in Languages of Ethnic Minorities – Support for the Press, Radio or Television Broadcasting’ (see also chapter 2.5.1).
In March 2022, Czech Radio responded to the request of the Ukrainian public broadcaster UA:PBC and launched an internet stream of their radio broadcasts in Ukrainian on the audio portal, in the mujRozhlas mobile app and on the classic DAB+ and DVB-T2 networks. The aim is to ensure the daily availability of information about the war in Ukraine to refugees and Ukrainians in the CR. Czech Radio has also launched a new podcast called News for Ukrainians in the CR. News coverage in Ukrainian is also provided by Czech Television, which interprets the main news coverage in Ukrainian. The Media Bohemia media group launched Radio Ukraine at the end of March. In April 2022, the Ukrainian television station 1+1 began broadcasting on Czech Television. The news channel should enable Ukrainian citizens in the Czech Republic to receive information about events in their home country in their native language. The station can be tuned in free of charge to digital terrestrial television via automatic tuning on multiplex 23.
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