On 12 February 2025, the PSM Compass team gave its first tailormade advocacy workshop at Czech Radio's headquarters, in Prague. This workshop was for personnel wanting to enhance their advocacy strategies to meet the shifting political and regulatory landscape.

Participants said they valued the workshop for:

-    New sense that ‘we are not alone’ and can draw inspiration from the arguments, research and case studies in the PSM Compass and from other EBU Members 
-    High level of EBU team preparation and expertise 
-    Detailed focus on local issues and realities
 

What’s a tailormade workshop?

When a Member requests support, the PSM Compass team gathers input from them and carries out research on the country, the media landscape and the broadcaster, including current advocacy strategies and campaigns. Then the Member and the team co-build an agenda to deliver results in priority areas.

In Czech Radio’s case, the workshop focused on strategic leadership and advocacy approaches to deal with Czechia’s fast-changing legal and political realities, namely: 
 
•    Strengthening CR’s short and long-term advocacy priorities 
•    Refining and contextualizing the key ideological political fronts model (PDF, EBU Members only)
•    Message delivery and narrative development 

The first part of the workshop was attended by top management, and in the afternoon a wider group of senior managers participated and collaborated in breakout sessions.

The workshop was structured around the three main pressures facing CR:

Financial stability: securing an adequate and fair licence fee for long-term sustainability.
Policy support: building relationships with policymakers to ensure legislative backing.
Public engagement: strengthening grassroots support to enhance trust and commitment.

What were the takeaways?

1. We are not alone 

Participants described a renewed sense that European PSM face similar pressures and arguments from politicians. These challenges are often rooted in free-market critiques that seek to frame public service broadcasters as merely a backstop for market failure.

Politicians routinely question the efficiency of PSM, and critics in Czechia argue for a merger of Czech Radio and Czech Television to deliver efficiencies.

The workshop looked at the Six Political Fronts model (PDF – Members only) applied to Czechia, and how it provides a structured approach to advocacy, helping participants define counternarratives and develop supporting tools. Czech Radio particularly valued this methodology, which categorizes common challenges and equips PSM with clear responses at a national and pan-EU level. 

2. Stay future focused while navigating the shifting landscape

With media law amendments and elections on the horizon in Czechia, the workshop reiterated the need for proactive advocacy. The lower parliamentary chamber recently passed an amendment to increase the licence fee, which will now go before the Senate. But a greater challenge looms in the form of parliamentary elections later in 2025.

Some political parties are clear in their intent to weaken PSM. The workshop looked at how to ensure a broad, politically inclusive debate on the future of public service media, rather than get drawn into an unwinnable argument on unilateral, agenda-based decisions by ruling parties. 

René Zavoral, Director General of Czech Radio, said:

“We need to stay focused on the bigger picture rather than weigh into partisan debates about individual issues. 

What I see as crucial is the shared understanding that for public service media, which often face pressure from various sometimes misleading arguments, the key is always to advocate for public service media itself, rather than against specific individuals or political parties.”

CR is determined to strengthen its independence from political pressure, with a key focus on preserving and reinforcing its existing funding model and maintaining its autonomy as a broadcaster. 

3. Develop emotional narratives that connect

The workshop also focused on audience engagement strategies based on emotionally compelling narratives. Czech Radio’s ‘Platí to’ (meaning: ‘it holds true’) campaign reinforces its commitment to values such as independence and public trust. 

Building on this good work, participants explored further ways to foster stronger audience connections, including:

•    Emphasizing cultural and historical significance to build emotional ties.
•    Proactive promotion of Czech Radio’s contributions, rather than parrying criticism.
•    Positioning within a European context and broader discussions on misinformation and democratic resilience.

Looking forward – next steps for CR

Based on the workshop discussions, Czech Radio plans to further strengthen its advocacy with actions including:

-    Additional research 
-    Adapting arguments based on the 6 political fronts model
-    Exploring ways to reinforce listeners' emotional connection to Czech Radio, to enhance their personal loyalty to CR

Do you need to strengthen your advocacy? 

Talk to us and we’ll create a PSM Compass workshop to meet your specific needs. To set it up or ask for more information, contact compass@ebu.ch.