Czech Broadcaster ČT Weighs Eurovision Withdrawal Amid Budget Cuts
Czech public broadcaster ČT is reportedly considering withdrawing from the Eurovision Song Contest amid severe budget cuts totaling 350 million korunas.
Czech public broadcaster ČT is reportedly planning to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest as part of sweeping budget cuts, according to the Czech news website Aktuálně. While the move is included in the network's internal savings plan, official confirmation from ČT is still pending.
Budget Crisis and Broad Cuts
Aktuálně has repeatedly reached out to the broadcaster for comment, but received no definitive response regarding future Eurovision participation. Independent sources indicate that the decision is not yet final, as the broader savings framework remains under discussion. ČT is facing severe financial constraints, having announced layoffs, content reductions, and an overall spending slash of 350 million korunas. Network CEO Hynek Chudárek stated that management aims to prepare the broadcaster for an uncertain financial future.
The goal of the leadership is to prepare the broadcasting network for a future where funding may be less certain and less stable.
These austerity measures have already sparked both public and internal backlash. The most prominent protest took place in June, when journalists formed a human chain and staged a strike against the proposed cuts. Budgetary issues regarding Eurovision are not unprecedented; the Czech Republic previously abstained from the contest between 2009 and 2015 due to low public interest, poor results, and financial constraints.
Eurovision History and Recent Success
Czechia first participated in Eurovision in 2007. The country's best result was achieved in Lisbon in 2018, when Mikolas Josef finished sixth with the song Lie to Me. Gabriela Gunčíková was the first to secure a spot in the grand final, back in 2016.
At the most recent contest in Vienna, Czech television recorded its highest viewership figures since 2016, with 287,000 tuning in. This surge followed Daniel Žižka's qualification for the final with his song Crossroads—the country's first appearance in the final in two years—where he finished 16th out of 25 entries.
