Slovakia to Replace Public Broadcaster With New Body

Facts

• The Slovakian government, headed by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, has approved the Culture Ministry's proposal to replace the current Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) with a new Slovak Television and Radio (STVR).¹
• Fico has accused the RTVS of being politically biased and 'in conflict with the Slovak government,' with Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová adding that it excludes all voices except those of the mainstream.²
• The Culture Ministry claims the original name of the media outlet, Radio and Television of Slovakia, 'degrades the state-forming nation to a region.' The new law would also require the Slovak national anthem to play once a day on radio and TV.³
• The law, which is expected to be passed by Parliament in June, would also create a new nine-member oversight council selected by the Ministry and Parliament, which came under the control of Fico's leftist Smer (Direction) Party after the Sept. 30 elections.⁴
• Some parts of the original draft, which have since been scrapped, gave the board the power to fire the broadcast director without reason and established a 'programme council' to oversee editorial decisions. There will still be an advisory 'ethics committee.'¹
• Despite current RTVS General Director Luboš Machaj's mandate slated to end in 2027, the new law will dissolve his position once enacted. He will be replaced by the new council-appointed director.³

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²darientimes.com, ³American Spectator and ⁴Washington Post.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by Balkan Insight. Just like Viktor Orbán's Hungary, Fico's populist regime is actively turning what used to be an independent media outlet into a state propaganda machine. Not only does this violate Slovakia's democratic norms, but also the EU's Media Freedom Act. While he argues that the current broadcast station has a left-wing bias, public trust in RTVS is actually quite high. If Fico has his way, the STVR board will become a media politburo devoid of any editorial freedom.
• Right narrative, as provided by Europeanconservative. European elites only complain about newly-appointed media directors when they're appointed by Eurosceptics. Fico's government, which was democratically elected, has decided to create a new media board selected by Parliament — a normal function completely in line with the law. While pro-EU governments are never called out for producing pro-EU propaganda, any populist government that attempts to balance the playing field is labeled as 'authoritarian.'

Predictions