Final Word from Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Of the nine Czech publications we follow regularly, only two didn't sell their covers to Vodafone as part of Oskar's rebranding. MFD, HN, LN, Právo, Ekonom, Euro, and Týden all agreed to replace their usual covers (or false fronts, in the case of Euro and Týden) with Vodafone ads. Respekt said it wasn't asked, because it never agrees to such things, and Blesk turned down the offer. It wanted to retain the integrity of its front page. Much has been said about the political threat to press freedom in the CR, but the bigger threat is commercial pressure. Editors can talk about Chinese walls, but a media company willing to sell its cover for a few million crowns or less sends a message to its journalists. All hope is not lost, though. Despite its lucrative Vodafone ads, Týden ran an unflattering article that hinted at the truth about how IPB arranged for Oskar to win its license in 1999. [Czech Republic MF Dnes Hospodářské noviny Lidové noviny media journalism advertising advertisements Český Mobil TIW Telesystem International Wireless]