The ČT studio in Brno will be built, the council did not approve the suspension

Prague - A new television studio of Czech Television in Brno-Lišná will be built; the proposal to suspend the construction of the studio was not successfully pushed through at today's meeting of the Czech Television Council (ČT). Six members voted in favor of its adoption, one less than needed. Jaroslav Dědič, the vice-chairman of the Council, told ČTK this. The proposal was submitted by councilor Jan Prokeš. He demanded a suspension until a new investment analysis is prepared. According to Týden.cz, the councilors, on the contrary, supported an increase in the number of foreign reporters for ČT from eight to ten.
    "I was prompted by the information contained in the development plans, which state that the final form of the Brno studio will cost 710 million crowns," Prokeš justified his proposal to suspend the construction of the new Brno studio in the discussion. After deducting income that ČT will gain from, for example, the sale of land, the television would thus invest more than 600 million crowns in construction, according to him. Originally, it was supposed to be largely funded by the sale of land, Prokeš added.
    Not all members agreed with Prokeš's proposal. In September, deadlines for some important building permits will expire, noted councilor Petr Koutný. According to him, this will prolong the construction of the studio. "I consider this a kind of small sabotage," he added.
    According to members of the project implementation team, if the building permit expires, some contracts will have to be signed again, for example, with the neighbors of the land. Consequently, the construction could be prolonged. Prokeš pointed out that the project is already two years behind schedule.
    The completion of the studio construction is planned for the summer of 2013. The new ČT studio in Brno will be located in Lišná on land that ČT purchased last autumn for 40 million crowns from Brno's Zetor. The area is 17,000 square meters.
    According to Týden.cz, the management of ČT requested an increase in the number of foreign reporters. They are expected to operate in the Middle East in Jerusalem and in the Balkans, likely in Belgrade. The television plans, according to the director of ČT's news department, Roman Bradáč, to have a reporter in Jerusalem from the beginning of next year and in Belgrade approximately from the middle of next year.
    Looking ahead, ČT also plans to establish a similar position in Brazil. However, no specific names for the reporter positions have been mentioned according to Bradáč. The final decision regarding the establishment of new foreign reporter positions will be made by the new general director of ČT; the successor to the outgoing Jiří Janeček is expected to be known on September 21.
    Czech Television currently has eight foreign correspondents - a pair in Slovakia and one each in Hong Kong, Moscow, Warsaw, Berlin, Brussels, and Washington.