Media monitoring

Czech media falsely accuse Romani mourners of breaking the law after cemetery employee calls police

24.4.2020 7:10  full story

Romani doctor urges community in the Czech Republic to prevent COVID-19 from spreading

31.3.2020 17:08  full story

Czech and Slovak extremists do their best to profit from the COVID-19 pandemic, attacking the EU and public broadcast media

19.3.2020 9:15  full story

Coronavirus-related HOAX in the Czech language alleges USA is moving troops to Europe

16.3.2020 16:34  full story

Online haters not ashamed to make manipulative allegations about photographs of London terrorist attack

26.3.2017 14:20 The terrorist attack in London last week has prompted a series of manipulations on Czech-language online social networks that have a single aim: Disseminating hatred against a particular group. Photographs are being shared through the Internet of a young Muslim woman wearing a brown headscarf, accompanied by allegations that the photo shows her walking past injured victims of the attack without taking any interest in them.  full story

Internet memes falsely allege celebration of terrorist attack in London

26.3.2017 13:38 A screenshot purported to be of a Facebook broadcast by the Arab television station Al-Jazeera is being shared through online social networks after Wednesday's terrorist attack in London, alleging that Muslim people have been celebrating it. "The Muslim world is laughing after the attack in London," several online social network users are sharing, alleging that the screenshot is proof that Al-Jazeera watchers are glad about the attack and posting "likes" and emoticons featuring hearts and laughter during the broadcast.  full story

Czech disinformation outlet misinforms readers that a refugee camp "like Calais" is growing in Prague

11.3.2017 21:29 The dissemination of disinformation and fake news to manipulate Czech readers takes various forms. A fresh example from the Czech tabloid Parlamentní listy demonstrates that the images used in news reporting play a significant role in such efforts.  full story

Czech tabloid uses old video from French taxi drivers' protest, claims it is of current protests by immigrants

28.2.2017 7:32 The Czech tabloid news server ParlamentníListy.cz has used its Facebook profile to manipulate its readers once again. The server has published year-old video footage of protesters throwing tires at cars as they drive by, captioning the footage with the sentence "This is Paris".  full story

Fake news item spreads online alleging George Soros has died

16.12.2016 16:51 At the beginning of the week of 14 November a fake news item began to spread online alleging that George Soros has died, including in the Czech language. The news item was quickly refuted and labeled false and is just the latest in a chain of untrue, falsified news items about the deaths of famous figures.  full story

Tabloid interview with son of former Czech President about inclusive education features untruths

26.11.2016 10:10 The Czech tabloid Blesk has published an interview with Václav Klaus, Jr., the son of the former Czech President who was once the principal of a private high school in Prague, featuring the headline "Inclusion is a crime against disabled children". Tomáš Hečko, who is the parent of a child with Down Sydrome and a media professional, has reviewed the piece.  full story

Edited CCTV footage from Czech pizzeria where Romani man died is broadcast, questions remain unanswered

30.10.2016 21:47 The pizzeria in the Czech town of Žatec where a young Romani man died on 18 October has provided CCTV footage of the incident to the commercial Prima television station, which broadcast some of it on Saturday evening. The management of the restaurant claims it is doing its best to calm the situation by releasing the images.  full story

Czech talk show host uses YouTube to explain TV Prima's contract with him to TV Prima and the public

27.10.2016 15:57 Czech talk show host Jan Kraus has published a brief video on YouTube explaining that the contract he has with TV Prima clearly does not allow him to broadcast an episode of his show online before it has been broadcast by the TV Prima station. He has taken the unusual step after the TV Prima management issued contradictory statements regarding why it did not broadcast the most recent episode of the program yesterday.  full story

Commentary: Czech media publish manipulative news item about slaughtered sheep and an "evil Turk"

18.9.2016 13:41 Today we are reporting yet another case study on the topic of "journalists in Czech media who could easily be replaced by monkeys. Even untrained ones."  full story

Europe: Anti-refugee initiatives spreading lies about German justice system after Munich shooting

8.8.2016 13:07 Yet another manipulation of the facts is making the rounds online, this time about the attack perpetrated on 22 July in Munich, Germany. Ali David Sonboly, a racist supporter of the ultra-right, murdered nine people during a shooting spree on that day.  full story

Czech-language internet users, Roma included, fall for debunked hoax about mass wedding of adults and children

22.6.2016 7:33 A long-debunked hoax about an alleged wedding between 450 little girls and adult men has been spreading online once more in the Czech Republic. This particular hoax was first spread in 2009.  full story

Czech Television considers ending controversial "debate" program

24.2.2016 18:07 The "You Have the Floor" ("Máte slovo") program, in comparison to Czech Television's other current events programs, is the very worst in terms of quality. Czech daily Lidové noviny's online edition, Lidovky.cz, reports that is the conclusion of a rapid analysis requested by a new member of the public broadcaster's board, Zdeněk Šarapatka, who is a big critic of the program moderated by Michaela Jílková.  full story

Czech Republic: Interpreter confirms TV Prima manipulated footage of refugee interview

15.2.2016 20:35 A new development has arisen in the scandal around the manipulative reporting by the Prima television station about Christian refugees from Iraq who came to the Czech Republic several weeks ago with the aid of the Generation 21 Foundation. A translator hired by Prima whose work was used during a second report broadcast on Saturday, one that the station intended to disprove the allegations of manipulation, has now revealed details that show Prima did indeed manipulate its initial reporting and suppressed important information in its follow-up reporting.  full story

Czech Republic: TV Prima releases more footage in its defense, but doubts remain about its interview with refugee

15.2.2016 4:36 The Prima television station in the Czech Republic responded during its main news show Saturday to the criticism it received after previously broadcasting a report about Christian refugees from Iraq who came to the country several weeks ago with the aid of the Generation 21 Foundation. Prima asserts in its reporting that the refugees are complaining about the apartments they have been offered and have compared them to cowsheds.  full story

Czech Republic: Television station issues statement about interview with refugee that sparked online hatred

12.2.2016 23:53 The TV Prima television station in the Czech Republic has issued a statement about an interview broadcast on 11 February with a refugee in which the interpretation of what the refugee said was inaccurate. News server Romea.cz is providing the statement here in full translation.  full story

Czech Republic: Manipulative television report sparks hatred against Christian refugees from Iraq

12.2.2016 19:51 A report by the Prima television station broadcast on 11 February 2016 in its main news program has sparked many hateful online posts in the Czech Republic. The report featured a refugee who arrived in the Czech Republic several weeks ago with the aid of the Generation 21 Foundation (NF G21) and who was alleged to have expressed many criticisms of the accommodation he was offered in the town of Jihlava.  full story