Český rozhlas

Český rozhlas (ČRo) functions as the Czech Republic's public service broadcaster, managing domestic radio stations and the principal online news portal iRozhlas.cz. Its core mission is to provide the Czech public with news and informational content, extending its reach through digital platforms. The organization's role in delivering objective reporting, especially concerning international conflicts like the war in Ukraine, is emphasized by national authorities as a vital service. This positions ČRo as a central institution for unbiased information within the country's media landscape, with its online portal serving as a key digital gateway for the public.

A large-scale cyber attack on June 22, 2023, took the websites of ČRo's domestic stations and the iRozhlas.cz portal offline. The incident occurred immediately before a scheduled broadcast panel discussion on media and Ukraine, suggesting a deliberate attempt to disrupt that specific content. The Czech president publicly condemned the attack, describing it as an adversarial effort to interfere with the flow of objective information about the conflict. This official characterization frames the event as an assault on media independence and public access to reliable news. The simultaneous outage of multiple online services indicated a coordinated operation against the broadcaster's digital infrastructure. Such an attack highlights the vulnerability of public service media to cyber threats, particularly when covering geopolitical tensions. The timing and targeting underscore the perceived strategic value of ČRo's reporting in the context of information warfare. The disruption temporarily impaired the organization's ability to serve the Czech audience through its primary digital channels. Recovery from the incident would have been necessary to restore full operational capacity and public trust. The event remains a documented instance of cyber interference against a European public broadcaster related to the Ukraine war. It illustrates the ongoing risks faced by media entities that provide independent coverage of conflict zones. The attack drew attention to the need for robust cybersecurity protections for critical information infrastructure.