Czech Television launches new Sunday political debate format to replace Moravec's show

Czech Television (ČT) has announced the launch of a new Sunday political programme to replace the show previously hosted by Václav Moravec, who left the broadcaster earlier this year. The first episode will air on Sunday, August 30, ČT news anchor Marcela Augustová announced.

The main novelty of the new format is splitting the broadcast into two parts filmed in different studios. In one studio, politicians will engage in open debate, while in the other, experts, journalists and economists will analyse their statements in real time and fact-check them. According to Augustová, this should help viewers better understand the topics discussed and the context behind politicians' statements.

Who will host the debates

The main segment featuring direct political confrontation will be hosted by Jana Peroutková and Lukáš Dolanský. Peroutková said it was an honour for her to develop a programme that enjoys such strong viewer trust and stands as a symbol of quality public political debate on television. She promised diligent preparation, respect for facts, and a commitment to fair moderation.

Dolanský, for his part, said he sees the invitation as recognition of his thirty years in journalism and is preparing for the first broadcast "with humility and enthusiasm."

The in-depth expert analysis segment will be hosted by the duo of Jiří Václavek and Daniel Takáč. Takáč believes the new format brings a welcome variety: "In times when important issues are all too often oversimplified into slogans, it's crucial to back those slogans up with facts and explanatory commentary from different perspectives," he explained.

How the broadcast will be structured

The first episode of the revamped programme will air on August 30. On ČT1, the broadcast will begin between 12:00 and 13:00, while on ČT24 it will start already at 11:30, when viewers will be introduced to the debate participants and the topic of the episode. This will be followed by a "hard interview"-style political discussion, and from 13:20 to 14:00 by the expert analysis segment.

As a reminder, Václav Moravec announced his departure from Czech Television in March, ending the run of his programme "Questions for Václav Moravec." He explained that, under current conditions, he could no longer guarantee editorial independence and critical coverage of events. After leaving the broadcaster, Moravec launched his own media platform.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz