Analysis
Politics
European Commission Report Highlights Ukraine’s Gains in Governance, Reform and Resilience
7 November 2024
31 July 2024
The closure of the print version of the oldest Czech daily, Lidové noviny, is a stark reminder that the future of media in the country is often shaped by business tycoons and oligarchs whose primary interests lie outside the media sector.
Developments in neighbouring Slovakia should serve as a warning. There, a similar mix of media ownership seems to favour maintaining good relations with Fico’s populist government over critical reporting.
When Mafra Publishing announced in mid-July that the oldest Czech daily, Lidové noviny (LN), would close down its print version by the end of August, many local media commentators grieved, particularly for the intellectual Orientace (Orientation) Saturday supplement, which will become part of LN’s sister outlet MF Dnes’ Saturday edition.