3. Public Service Media

484/1991 Coll. ACT of the Czech National Council on Czech Radio

Section 2
(1) Czech Radio provides public service by producing and distributing radio programmes, or as the case may be, other multimedia content and additional services in the territory of the Czech Republic and abroad in order to meet the democratic, social and cultural needs of society and the need to preserve media pluralism (hereinafter “radio public service”).
(2) The main objectives of radio public service include, without limitation:
a) providing objective and fact-checked information that is balanced and comprehensive in its entirety and enables free opinion-making and contributing to media literacy;
b) raising the legal awareness of citizens of the Czech Republic;
c) producing and distributing programmes and providing balanced programmes for all citizen groups in light of the freedom of faith and opinion, cultural or ethnic origin, national identity, social background, age and sex, provided that such programmes reflect the plurality of views and political, religious, philosophical and artistic directions in order to enhance mutual understanding and tolerance and support a cohesive plural society;
d) developing the cultural identity of the citizens of the Czech Republic, including that of ethnic minorities;
e) producing and broadcasting programmes including, without limitation, news, journalistic, documentary, artistic, dramatic, sports, entertainment and educational programmes as well as programmes for children and the youth.
Section 3
(1) The activities of the Czech Radio conducted as part of the radio public service include, without limitation:
a) operating analogue radio broadcasting using a range of the frequency spectrum enabling coverage of the territory of the Czech Republic by three national radio stations in the shortwave band and regional radio stations in the shortwave band, by means of terrestrial radio broadcasting stations or by other technical means; the Czech Radio can also broadcast in the long and medium wave bands;
b) operating a radio station exclusively focused on news, journalism and educational programmes via terrestrial radio broadcasting stations using a range of the frequency spectrum in the shortwave band to the extent enabled by radio frequencies obtained by optimising its own broadcasting network, provided that the coverage of the Czech Republic hereunder is not compromised, and radio frequencies newly identified by the Czech Radio at its own expense, but not more than to the extent of regional radio broadcasting4); such stations may also broadcast through terrestrial radio broadcasting stations using a range of the frequency spectrum in the medium wave band or through other electronic communications networks in the extent of national radio broadcasting hereunder;
c) operating three digital terrestrial radio stations listed under (a) through the public service multiplex;1a) in addition to these radio stations, the Czech Radio may use the public service multiplex to broadcast other stations, other multimedia content and additional services; such stations, other multimedia content and additional services distributed through the public service multiplex may also be distributed through other electronic communication networks;
d) operating digital terrestrial broadcasting in order to provide for radio public service, which corresponds to the state of art in broadcasting technologies and services, through a network of terrestrial radio broadcasting stations using radio frequencies reserved for the Czech Radio by the government agency responsible for administering the frequency spectrum under applicable legislation1), enabling the coverage of the territory of the Czech Republic with radio stations and other content in the band reserved according to the national frequency table for digital terrestrial radio broadcasting, in particular in the 174-230 MHz band (hereinafter referred to as the "public service radio multiplex"),
e) establishing a network of own correspondents;
f) creating and maintaining archives and using the archives as part of national cultural heritage;
g) supporting Czech radio productions and cultural projects;
h) broadcasting national and international production;
i) providing 24/7 broadcasting, including news reporting, at least through one station;
j) engaging in activities in the field of new broadcasting technologies and services;
k) providing information and content to the public in accordance with Section 2(1) on its website and through Czech Radio’s applications; news and political-journalistic programs provided on the Czech Radio website and applications must observe the principles of objectivity and balance, in particular they must not give unilateral preference to any political party or movement, or their opinions or the opinions of individual groups of the public, taking into account their real position in political and social life,
l) promoting the broadcasting of its own programs or shows and other tasks of radio public service.
(2) The radio station of the Czech Radio broadcasts radio programmes to foreign countries in the shortwave band via terrestrial radio broadcasting equipment or other technical means. Broadcasting to foreign countries must meet the requirements under Section 2(2)(a) and (c) and must promote the reputation of the Czech Republic.
(3) The government agency responsible for administering the frequency spectrum under applicable legislation1b) shall, after being granted consent by the Radio and Television Broadcasting Council, reserve for Czech Radio frequencies enabling the operation of analogue radio broadcasting within the scope set out in Paragraph 1(a) and Paragraph 2. Frequencies in the range and under the conditions set out in Paragraph 1(b) or in the long and medium wave bands will be reserved only if Czech Radio so requests. For the purposes of radio public service multiplex under Paragraph 1(d), the rights to the frequencies reserves are granted by allocation without prior competition under the Electronic Communications Act. If the Czech Radio fails to request the allocation within 6 months after the frequencies have been reserved, the competent agency under the Electronic Communications Act will proceed in compliance with the Act when granting the rights to the reserved frequencies.
(4) For the purposes hereof, national radio stations mean such stations that are available to a minimum of 80% of the population of the Czech Republic as per the latest census1c, with the exception of nationwide radio programming pursuant to Section 3(1)(a) focused on current news and journalism, which are available to a minimum of 95% of the population of the Czech Republic as per the latest census1c.
(5) The Czech Radio may also digitally broadcast radio stations, and distribute programmes and parts thereof, multimedia content and additional services via other electronic communications networks and services.
(6) Czech Radio may place commercial messages on its website and in its applications only if they are aimed at promoting its own broadcasting, programs, and activities related radio public sevice, or if they are part of programs whose content cannot be influenced by Czech Radio.

More details: https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1991-484

Role and responsibilities specified by 484/1991 Coll. ACT of the Czech National Council on Czech Radio with the Czech Radio Council acting as the body that enforces the public's right to monitor the activities of Czech Radio.

https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1991-484

Public media, no stakeholders

484/1991 Coll. ACT of the Czech National Council on Czech Radio

Section 10
Czech Radio Funding
(1) The funding of the Czech Radio includes, without limitation:
a) radio fees collected under applicable legislation3d;
b) revenues from own business activities.
(2) The costs related to Czech Radio broadcasting under Section 3(2) are paid from the government budget of the Czech Republic.


More details:
https://www.e-sbirka.cz/sb/2005/348?zalozka=text
https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1991-484
https://informace.rozhlas.cz/hospodareni-ceskeho-rozhlasu-rozpocet-2025-9392573

REVENUES IN 2024:
- 91,94 %: Revenues from own performance
- 1,46 %: State funding for broadcasting abroad (Radio Prague International)
- 3,97%: Funds settlement
- 1,15%: Other operating income
- 1,48%: Financial returns

Revenues from own activities
- 2,199,160,000
- in addition to revenues from radio licence fees, this section also includes revenues from commercial activities and the sale of services
State funding for broadcasting abroad (Radio Prague International)
- 35,000,000

More details: https://informace.rozhlas.cz/hospodareni-ceskeho-rozhlasu-rozpocet-2025-9392573

Czech Radio is financed primarily from licence fees paid by the public, not from the state budget. Although it may receive limited state funding for specific broadcasting purposes (Radio Prague International), it remains financially independent of the state budget. Its editorial independence is guaranteed by law and the Czech Radio Code. The body that exercises the public's right to control the activities of Czech Radio is the Czech Radio Council (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Council’). The Council has nine members. The term of office of a Council member is six years. Council members are elected and dismissed by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in such a way that significant regional, political, social and cultural currents of opinion are represented. The Director General is appointed by the Council from among candidates who meet the requirements of the law on the basis of the results of a selection procedure for a term of six years.