The Czech political landscape is susceptible to several potential crises. Additionally, the economic challenges of rising inflation and energy prices could strain the ruling coalition, potentially leading to fractures within the government. The Czech Republic’s media landscape is a blend of traditional and digital platforms, with public broadcasters maintaining a strong presence alongside a competitive private sector. The influence of media ownership by powerful business figures with political ties remains a significant issue, affecting public trust and media independence (Štětka, Adamčíková & Sybera 2024).
As part of the EU-Horizon consortium, we conducted a dozen interviews with editors-in-chief or journalists of leading news media outlets (print, TV, radio, online, and community media) in the summer of 2024. The results show an area undergoing a major transformation.
Journalistic roles for democracy
Given the diversity of media in the Czech Republic the respondents distinguish major journalistic roles for democracy, foremost the informational role through gathering, selecting and disseminating news on matters of general importance, thus satisfying citizens’ information needs. Second important is their watchdog role although not all media have the financial and human resources to perform it or even wish to accomplish it. All the other roles are only (see in more detail Carpentier & Wimmer 2025) seen to be fulfilled to a limited extent, which in turn has to do with the threads perceived.
Main threads in the Czech media landscape
Specific threats can be identified from the respondents’ perspective, who understand them as crisis phenomena: the business model crisis, the concentration crisis of media in the hands of a small group of investors, and the populism crisis with its attacks on public service media. Most of the media have the feeling of moving in their own media ‘bubble’. This process is being fueled by the circumstance that in contrast to other journalism cultures Czech journalists are very reluctant professional associations, trade unions or even press councils. Collective efforts among the media to counter the threats are therefore not really sought, as there are no perceived time or material resources for establishing them, and they are no longer expected to be successful.
Seznam.cz, an online platform that shapes Czech media
The role of the large online platforms in the threats is seen by everyone as extremely important. However, one striking exception stands out—the Czech internet platform Seznam.cz, which is the only platform in the Czech Republic that can stand up to Google. Their dominant position in online advertising, serving 90% of the Czech market regularly, is seen as negative by all journalists because it threatens the independence of the media from their perspective. This specific thread is currently seen as more pressing than the fear of oligarchization in the Czech media landscape.
References
Carpentier, N., & Wimmer, J. (2025). Democracy and Media in Europe: A Discursive-Material Approach. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003485438
Štětka, V., Adamčíková, J., Sybera, A. (2024). Monitoring Media Pluralism in the digital era: Application of the Media Pluralism Monitor in the European Member States and Candidate Countries in 2023 : Country Report : the Czech Republic. European University Institute. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2870/95759