by Vaia Doudaki, Charles University
The Czech Citizen Parliament on Media and Democracy traveled to Brno for its third parliament session on 26 April 2025, where it was hosted most warmly by Masaryk University, and the Department of Media Studies and Journalism. The third citizen parliament focused on media representations and their role in promoting diversity and pluralism in a democratic Czech society. The participants’ intensive and fruitful deliberations resulted in nine resolutions to better support and put to effect these aims.
To stimulate learning and to offer inspiration for the follow-up deliberations, two experts addressed these issues, during the first part of the parliament’s activities. Dr. Klára Smejkal from Masaryk University focused on the task of the Czech public service media to promote diversity and pluralism. Journalist Jana Ustohalová, who works for the Czech news outlet Deník N and also lectures at Masaryk University, unpacked specific cases of insufficient, stereotypical or inappropriate representation of certain social groups by the Czech media.
Resolutions for diversity and inclusion
The citizen parliament participants, building on the subtopics of media representation that had been developed in the first citizen parliament session, worked hard throughout the long day of activities, and after several rounds of intensive groupwork and deliberation, formulated 13 resolutions, out of which 9 were voted by the large majority of participants.
Photo: Vojtěch Herman
These resolutions addressed the citizens’ demands for: Thorough editorial work by the media organisations, leading to a more diverse selection of experts and strengthening the voice of people from different social groups; supporting diversity among media content creators; strengthening content diversity through the inclusion of more topics of minorities and socially disadvantaged people; strengthening media literacy through education.
On the way to the Senate of the Czech Republic
The citizen parliament participants were excited to be informed that a roundtable event will take place on 5 June 2025, in the Senate of the Czech Republic, addressing issues of media and democracy, and the role of the Czech citizen parliament. They appeared highly interested in attending the event and be among the roundtable speakers. Among several individuals interested in acting as speakers, one participant, Amanda Baxová, was drawn by lot, and will represent the Czech Citizen Parliament on Media and Democracy, presenting the Czech citizens’ demands for more democratic media, serving democracy.