Black-clad broadcasters warn funding reform could threaten media independence, Closely Watched Trains turns 60, Amanita Design's Phonopolis

Czech public broadcasters are facing a potential crisis as hundreds of employees staged a black-clad protest against proposed funding reforms that would replace license fees with state funding, warning the move could endanger media independence and force massive layoffs. The reform, backed by the ruling coalition, aims to make public media more accountable but critics argue it would leave broadcasters vulnerable to political pressure and drastically reduce their budgets—Czech TV could lose 1.4 billion crowns annually, while Czech Radio faces cuts of up to 500 million. Meanwhile, the 60th anniversary of Jiří Menzel’s Oscar-winning film *Closely Watched Trains* is being celebrated in the village of Loděnice, where the film was shot, with a museum dedicated to its legacy. The episode also features an in-depth look at Amanita Design’s decade-long labor of love, *Phonopolis*, a handcrafted, cardboard-inspired puzzle adventure game that explores themes of authoritarian control and individual freedom through a unique blend of physical art and digital technology. The game’s creators used real cardboard models, hand-painted textures, and lo-fi audio to evoke a tactile, nostalgic world, marking the studio’s first use of voice acting and a deeply personal artistic statement rooted in historical memory and creative rebellion.