Czech Radio signs new five-year Memorandum reflecting public values and strengthening service in crises
René Zavoral, Director General of Czech Radio, and Martin Baxa, Minister of Culture, signed a Memorandum on the manner of fulfilling public service in radio broadcasting for the 2025–2030 term. The document defines how Czech Radio will fulfill its statutory role, particularly in the areas of news, culture, education, regional broadcasting, and digital services.
The memorandum, signed on 14 October 2025, builds on the Media Act amendment, effective from May 2025, and puts these statutory changes into practice. At the same time, it reflects the results of the public survey "What kind of Czech Radio do you want?", in which over 11,000 people and more than 100 institutions were involved in the summer.
"The Memorandum provides a clear framework for how Czech Radio will fulfill its public service mission over the next five years. It is based not only on legal requirements, but also on what the public expects from the broadcaster – namely, an emphasis on independence, high-quality news reporting, education, culture, and strong regional representation. I am pleased that we have succeeded in transforming these priorities into the concrete form of this important document," says Director General René Zavoral.
The document also confirms respect for the principle of a dual media system, i.e., the parallel functioning of public and commercial media. For Czech Radio, the Memorandum is binding for the entire five-year period and sets out specific public service obligations, including the development of digital services, support for literary and dramatic works, and the importance of Czech Radio in crisis situations.
Both the Ministry of Culture and Czech Radio consider the signing of the Memorandum to be an important milestone that strengthens the stability, predictability, and credibility of public service. The Memorandum was approved by the Czech Radio Council on 1 October 2025.