CT Statute — English Pages — Česká televize

Statute of Czech Television

Prague, 8 June 2005

Article I

Status of Czech Television

1. Czech Television is a legal entity established as of 1 January 1992 by Act No. 483/1991 Coll., on Czech Television.
2. Czech Television is a public institution operating television broadcasting. Its principal task is the creation of television channels and the broadcasting thereof in both analogue and digital form via terrestrial transmitters and other technical facilities. By this activity, as well as by programme production and, possibly, by other activities, Czech Television provides services to the public and fosters the development of culture.
3. The seat of Czech Television is in Prague 4 – Kavčí hory, postal code: 140 70.
4. The identification number of Czech Television is 00027383, the tax identification number of Czech Television is CZ00027383.
5. Czech Television is not registered in the Commercial Registry.
6. The State is not responsible for obligations of Czech Television and Czech Television is not responsible for obligations of the State.

Article II

1. In the fulfilment of its tasks Czech Television does in particular the following:
   
   1. creates television channels and broadcasts (distributes) them on the entire territory of the Czech Republic;
   2. makes sound recordings and audiovisual recordings by means of suitable and available technologies;
   3. creates, maintains and uses its archives and programme libraries;
   4. purchases licences for the use of audiovisual works recordings from domestic and foreign rights holders and concludes licensing agreements on the use of its own recordings by other entities in the Czech Republic and abroad;
   5. organises systematic surveys of viewer response to television programmes;
   6. in keeping with technological progress ensures further development in all areas of television technology and actively participates in the promotion of new broadcasting technologies, including the production and distribution of multimedia content and other accessory services;
   7. co-operates with important organisations or societies active in the field of art and culture;
   8. supports Czech film production;
   9. ensures professional and educational development of its employees;
   10. sets up a network of its own news reporters;
   11. through its television studios ensures regional news and current affairs broadcasting for their respective territories;
   12. on its website provides additional services accompanying broadcast programmes, creates and distributes Teletext and closed captions.
2. Czech Television provides other services and pursues commercial activities, provided that these do not interfere with its mission.
3. Czech Television is a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU/UER), an international association of public service broadcasters, takes part in the international co-operation of public service television stations and fosters co-operation with television stations and authors abroad, especially in the EU. Every year Czech Television organises the Golden Prague International Television Festival.
4. Czech Television promotes the development of education and research in fields related to television broadcasting.

Article III

Organisation and management

1. The statutory body of Czech Television is the Director General of Czech Television.
2. The Director General in particular:
   1. directs the activities of Czech Television;
   2. within the limits set by law and by the present Statute determines the organisational structure of Czech Television, issues the Organisational Rules, Signature Rules, Work Regulations, Rules of Internal Economic Management and Operational Rules;
   3. acts on behalf of Czech Television.
3. The Director General enters into legal acts performed in a written form on behalf of Czech Television by adding his or her signature to the printed or written name of Czech Television.
4. The Director General of Czech Television shall designate in writing one of the senior employees on the first level of the management hierarchy to substitute him or her in the event of his or her absence.
5. If the post of the Director falls vacant for any of the reasons stipulated by the relevant provisions of the Czech Television Act, the deputy of the Director General – i.e. the Chief Executive Director – shall act as the head of Czech Television till the appointment of a new Director General. In case of absence of the Chief Executive Director, Czech Television shall be directed, in the following order of precedence, by other senior employees: News Director, Director of Production, Director of Programming.
6. The Director General is accountable to the Czech Television Council for the discharge of his or her office.
7. The Director General submits to the Czech Television Council for consideration and approval:
   1. the Statute of Czech Television;
   2. a draft budget, a review of claims and liabilities and closing accounts of Czech Television verified by an independent auditor;
   3. draft long-term plans of programme, technological and economic development;
   4. proposals for the establishment or disestablishment of television studios; the aforementioned provision shall not prejudice Article V.1 of the present Statute;
   5. proposals for the appointment and recall of television studio directors;
   6. any proposal for the lease of real property or parts thereof for a period of time exceeding three months, as well as any proposal for the alienation or encumbrance of such property or parts thereof;
   7. proposals for the appointment and recall of members of the Ethics Panel,
   8. the Czech Television Code.
8. The Czech Television Council fulfils its tasks in accordance with the Czech Television Act, which designates the Council as the body exercising the right of the public to supervise activities of Czech Television. In matters concerning financial audit of Czech Television, the Czech Television Council has a consultative body, the Supervisory Commission.
9. Czech Television shall respect, within the limits of the Labour Code, the decisions of the Czech Television Council concerning legal acts ensuing from labour relations with the employees of the Secretariat to the Czech Television Council.
10. A permanent consultative body to the Director General is the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is composed of all senior employees on the first level of the management hierarchy, and possibly of other individuals designated as members of the Board by a Decision of the Director General.
11. Another consultative body to the Director General is the Ethics Panel, set up by the Czech Television Code.

Article IV

1. The basic organisational structure of Czech Television is stipulated in more detail by the Organisational Rules of Czech Television. The Organisational Rules are accessible on the Czech Television website. The Organisational Rules and the Signature Rules determine the hierarchy of competences and accountability on each level of the management hierarchy of Czech Television, stipulate who and under what conditions is authorised to act on behalf of Czech Television, define the scope of activity of individual units and their mutual relationships. The economic principles of Czech Television financial management are defined by the Rules of Internal Economic Management.
2. The units directly subordinate to the Director General are headed by specialised directors or by other senior employees on the first level of the management hierarchy. The aforementioned unit heads are appointed and recalled by the Director General after consultation with the Czech Television Council.

Article V

Television studios

1. The structure of Czech Television includes television studios established by the Director General with the prior consent of the Czech Television Council. The only exceptions are the Brno Television Studio and the Ostrava Television Studio, which were established and, consequently, may only be disestablished by law. The seat of the Brno Television Studio is in Běhounská 18, Brno, postal code: 658 88; the seat of the Ostrava Television Studio is in Dvořákova 18, Ostrava 1, postal code: 729 20.
2. The television studios take part in Czech Television broadcasting, including regional broadcasting, by fulfilling the tasks ensuing from the programme schedule and from the production plan, in particular by programme production. The television studios also manage the archives of Czech Television formed as a result of their activities. The director of a television studio is appointed and recalled by the Czech Television Council on the proposal of the Director General of Czech Television. The director of a television studio is authorised to enter into legal acts on behalf of Czech Television in matters concerning the relevant television studio. The only exception is the disposal of real property defined by the provisions of the Czech Television Act and, possibly, other disposal of property, defined by Decisions of the Director General. A television studio director is accountable to the Director General for the operation of the relevant television studio and shall follow his or her instructions.

Article VI

Relevant laws and regulations

1. Czech Television pursues its activities in accordance with Act No. 483/1991 Coll., on Czech Television, and Act No. 231/2001 Coll., on Operating Radio and Television Broadcasting, both in amended versions, as well as on the basis of other generally binding legal regulations of the Czech Republic, including Act No. 252/1994 Coll., on Radio and Television Licence Fees, as amended.

2. The principles governing the fulfilment of the public service remit in the area of television broadcasting that are binding on Czech Television and its employees are stipulated by the Czech Television Code.

   The broadcasting of the Czech Television programme is governed by the broadcasting schedule. The broadcasting schedule provides basis for the production plan. Both documents are approved by the Director General. The principles governing the dispatch of individual programmes and the broadcasting as a whole are stipulated by the Operational Rules.

   The Operational Rules, Organisational Rules, Signature Rules, Work Regulations and other fundamental internal regulations of Czech Television are issued in the form of Decisions of the Director General. Senior employees on the first level of the management hierarchy may, within the scope of their competence, issue internal regulations in the form of Measures; the same applies to television studio directors.

Article VII

Financial management of Czech Television

1. Czech Television as a legal entity is fully responsible for the management of its own property and financial resources and shall manage them according to its internally adopted rules and in keeping with generally binding legal regulations and with the requirements of the European Communities law placed on the transparency of financial relations of public institutions. Czech Television bears responsibility for the effective and efficient use of its financial resources and property.
2. The principal financial sources of Czech Television are the following:
   1. revenues from television licence fees, collected in accordance with Act No. 252/1994 Coll., on Radio and Television Licence Fees, as amended;
   2. income from its own business operations, including revenues from the sale of advertising time conducted in accordance with Act No. 231/2001 Coll., on Operating Radio and Television Broadcasting, as amended.
      
3. Czech Television draws up its budget and detailed plans for its organisational units for each calendar year. Till the approval of the budget by the Czech Television Council, Czech Television shall manage its financial resources and property in accordance with its long-term plan of economic development. The revenues from business operations may be used exclusively for the financing of activities defined by the Czech Television Act.
4. The budget of the Czech Television Council makes up a separate chapter of the budget of Czech Television, designed for the defrayal of costs connected with the activities of the Council and its Supervisory Commission.
5. Czech Television uses a double-entry accounting system and follows the chart of accounts applicable to political parties, political movements, civic associations and other non-profit organisations. Czech Television shall keep accounts in a manner clearly distinguishing the costs and revenues connected with providing public service in the field of television broadcasting from costs and revenues connected with business operations. Czech Television shall define the methods for distinguishing costs and revenues and for the linking thereof to individual activities by an internal regulation (Accounting Standards of Czech Television).
6. In accordance with the Czech Television Act, the regular financial management audit of Czech Television is entrusted to the Supervisory Commission, a consultative body to the Czech Television Council. The Supervisory Commission is accountable to the Czech Television Council.
7. The annual closing accounts of Czech Television shall be approved by an independent auditor.

Article VIII

Access to information

1. Czech Television shall fulfil its information duties ensuing from generally binding legal regulations, including the duty to provide data under Act No.106/1999 Coll., on Free Access to Information, as amended.
2. Czech Television is authorised to protect its intellectual property and trade secrets.
3. Czech Television publishes the Statute of Czech Television, Czech Television Code and Organisational Rules on its website.

Article IX

Amendments to the Statute of Czech Television

If a need to amend the Statute of Czech Television arises, the Director General shall submit the draft amendment to the Czech Television Council for approval. The changes introduced by the amendment shall take effect upon the approval thereof by the Czech Television Council, unless the Council decides to postpone their effect to a later date. As soon as the amendment takes effect, the Director General shall without unnecessary delay ensure the publication of a complete and updated version of the document.

Article X

Final provisions

1. The Statute of Czech Television of 25 February 2004 is hereby repealed.
2. The present Statute has been approved by the Czech Television Council and shall take effect on 8 June 2005.