The high concentration of ownership in both traditional and online media sectors poses a significant risk to media plurality in the Czech Republic, according to the 2025 Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) report published today.

The report, which assesses risks to media freedom across the European Union, identifies excessive market concentration and insufficient transparency as the most serious problems facing Czech media. These factors strengthen the influence of a few large players on the media market.

The risk to market plurality was scored at an alarming 78%, the highest of all categories. In contrast, basic protections for media scored a medium-low risk (32%), and political independence was rated at 36%. Social inclusion presented a medium-to-high risk (62%). With an overall country score of 52%, the Czech Republic ranks 17th out of 32 EU and candidate countries, placing it in the middle of the pack.

A detailed analysis reveals the most critical issues are in the 'Plurality of Media Providers' and 'Plurality of Digital Markets' categories, both exhibiting a very high level of risk. This is primarily due to highly concentrated ownership across traditional and online media. Editorial independence from commercial and ownership influences also remains a high-risk area, reflecting ongoing conflicts of interest related to the business activities of many media owners. While some improvements have been made, transparency of media ownership continues to be a challenge due to persistent legislative shortcomings.

Key Findings from the Report:

Basic Protection: Journalists, particularly women, face frequent online attacks and offline sexual harassment—a topic that remains under-researched. Politicians often verbally attack media and undermine quality journalism. The digital environment is threatened by cyber-attacks, a lack of transparency from large platforms, and the uncontrolled spread of disinformation, including pro-Russian propaganda. Despite government declarations, the country lacks a national strategy against disinformation and has yet to implement the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) or pass anti-SLAPP legislation to prevent strategic lawsuits against public participation.

Market Plurality: There is no clear legal framework ensuring full transparency of media ownership. The market suffers from high concentration, which current regulation is unable to curb. Furthermore, the Czech Republic has not fully implemented certain copyright provisions that would ensure fair compensation for publishers from large online platforms. The economic situation remains fragile, especially for print and local media.

Political Independence: A 2024 Constitutional Court decision allowing politicians to own national media again has increased the risk of political influence. Local politicians and parties often use local and regional media to promote their own interests. Self-regulatory mechanisms are insufficient, and online election campaigning remains non-transparent.

Social Inclusion: While over 94% of households have internet access, media remains largely inaccessible for people with disabilities. The representation of minorities in media is inconsistent and poorly documented. Although new independent online outlets have emerged, many regions are becoming "news deserts." Women remain underrepresented in management positions and as experts. Media literacy education is still treated as a secondary concern, with a new curriculum focusing more on digital technology than critical media literacy.

The Media Pluralism Monitor is a tool designed to assess risks to media pluralism in EU member and candidate states. It considers legal, political, and economic variables relevant to analyzing the health of media systems in a democratic society. The monitor is implemented by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom.