České noviny

Profile narrative

České noviny (also known as ČN) is a news publishing service operated by the Czech News Agency (ČTK) and headquartered in Czechia. It provides news articles in both Czech and English languages, making its content accessible to domestic and international audiences. The service publishes approximately fifteen percent of ČTK's full news service output, delivering a curated selection of stories through its website and mobile application. Users receive updates via the website and can opt‑in to push notifications on their mobile devices.

On 23 April 2024, an attacker gained unauthorized access to the publishing system account associated with České noviny and posted fabricated articles. The false stories claimed that Slovakia's BIS agency had thwarted an assassination attempt on President‑elect Peter Pellegrini and included a forged statement from the Slovak foreign minister. The fabricated content appeared in both Czech and English on the website and triggered mobile app notifications, thereby reaching readers through the service’s normal distribution channels.

Česká tisková kancelář (ČTK) confirmed that its core news service remained unaffected by the breach, promptly removed the false material, and blocked the unauthorized access. The organization stated that it is cooperating with national security agencies and law‑enforcement authorities to investigate the incident. Although the compromised publishing system affected the České noviny platform, the full ČTK news feed continues to be available to clients via other distribution channels, ensuring uninterrupted service for subscribers.

Because České noviny is operated by ČTK, it functions as a subsidiary or dedicated division of the national news agency, benefiting from ČTK’s editorial infrastructure and distribution network. Its focus on delivering a portion of ČTK’s output in two languages distinguishes it within the Czech media landscape as a bilingual news outlet. The service’s reliance on a publishing system that integrates with ČTK’s broader operations highlights its role as a conduit for timely news dissemination to both the general public and professional clients.

Incidents

1 incident linked to this organisation.