Czech News Agency

The Czech News Agency (Česká tisková kancelář), abbreviated to ČTK, is a national public service news agency in the Czech Republic. It publishes in Czech and English.

Founded on 28 October 1918, on the same day as Czechoslovakia, the company has been owned by the government and used by the various regimes in the Czechoslovakia since then.

Following the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the government lost its power to ceased interfere in editorial decisions. In 1993 the government relinquished control of the agency, which has since been managed by its CEO in his sole responsibility.

The lower house of Parliament elects a ČTK Council of seven people with limited oversight responsibilities. They do not "govern" the news agency. Members of the board are not allowed to be politically active.

The agency's state subsidy was discontinued in 1996.

It was renamed from Czechoslovak to Czech News Agency on 1 January 1993 when Czechoslovakia split.

ČTK, however, stayed active on the Slovak market.

Its former Slovak part is a separate sovereign company under a different set-up called TASR - News Agency of the Slovak Republic.