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The Czech media landscape: who is who and whom each medium reaches
When you plan brand or performance media in the Czech Republic, you run into a handful of groups that hold almost the entire market, and a lot of brands that belong to them without it being obvious. Here is a clear map: who owns what, what they offer, and above all whom you roughly reach through them. No PR gloss, just where to put a crown on building your brand and where to put it on performance.
Daniel Votruba · 28 July 2026 · 6 min read
TV and streaming: still the biggest reach
Nova (under the PPF financial group) is the strongest commercial medium in the country by revenue, and its main channel targets a broad mainstream audience of roughly 15 to 54, centred on entertainment and drama. Prima (FTV Prima) is the second big commercial group, typically with a slightly older and more conservative viewer. Public Czech Television adds an older, more educated and more trusting audience, but by law it has limited advertising options, so think sponsorship rather than spots.
Streaming has consolidated dramatically: PPF merged O2 TV and Voyo into Oneplay, with on the order of 1.5 million subscribers, making it the domestic leader. For brands that means new video inventory with targeting that linear TV cannot match.
Digital: a Czech island between two giants
In performance digital the largest share belongs to Google and Meta, a global reality that holds in Czechia too. The local exception is Seznam.cz (second only to Nova by revenue), which owns an entire ecosystem: the news sites Novinky.cz and Seznam Zpravy, email, the Sklik ad network, maps and the Zbozi.cz price comparison. Through it you reach a broad audience that skews slightly older and more trusting, the kind you cannot easily catch on Google and social. Add the big content portals iDNES.cz (Mafra) and Aktualne.cz (Economia).
Publishers and print: from mass to business elite
Mafra controls roughly a quarter of the print market (MF Dnes, Lidove noviny, iDNES.cz) and aims at a more urban, more educated mainstream audience; ownership is, per available information, held by the Kaprain group (Karel Prazak) and, newly, Pavel Tykac. Czech News Center (Daniel Kretinsky and Patrik Tkac) is built on the mass-market Blesk tabloid plus titles such as Reflex, Sport, Aha! and the business outlet e15; it reaches a broad, older-skewing population across regions. Economia (Zdenek Bakala), with Hospodarske noviny, Aktualne.cz and Respekt, is the opposite: a ticket to an affluent, educated audience and business decision-makers. Regions and older readers are covered by Vltava Labe Media with its Denik network.
Radio: still a reach tool with clear profiles
Listenership is led by public Radiozurnal (Czech Radio), with an older, more educated audience. Among commercial stations Radio Impuls tops the field with a broad mainstream of roughly 30 to 55. Evropa 2 is the clear choice for a young audience (roughly 12 to 29), and its sister Frekvence 1 targets a broader, more female and slightly older listener; both sit under Czech Media Invest. Media Bohemia runs a network of regional and format stations (the Hitradio group, Fajn radio, Rock Radio, Kiss), ideal for local reach.
Out-of-home (OOH and DOOH)
Out of home is concentrated: the BigBoard group (which merged BigBoard, Czech Outdoor and Outdoor akzent) holds more than half the market and sells through BigMedia. Alongside it, JCDecaux holds a strong position in premium city and transit inventory. OOH is a classic brand and reach tool, and digital panels (DOOH) can additionally change the message by time and context.
Who sells for whom (whom to contact)
A practical note for your plan: Nova sells its own space, Prima is represented by Media Club, thematic channels by atmedia, radio goes through houses like Media Bohemia and rep houses such as Radiohouse, and out of home through BigMedia and JCDecaux. In digital you buy directly (Google, Meta, Seznam) or programmatically. Whoever does not know these relationships pays blind.
| Player | What it offers | Whom you roughly reach |
|---|---|---|
| Nova (PPF) | TV, Oneplay, online | broad mainstream 15–54, entertainment |
| Prima | TV, VOD (via Media Club) | slightly older, more conservative viewer |
| Czech Television | public TV, sponsorship | older, educated, trusting |
| Seznam.cz | search, Sklik, Novinky, Zbozi.cz | broad reach, older skew, trust |
| Google & Meta | search, video, social, performance | practically everyone, precise targeting |
| Mafra | MF Dnes, iDNES.cz, Lidovky | urban, educated mainstream |
| Czech News Center | Blesk, Reflex, Sport, e15 | mass, older-skewing, across regions |
| Economia | HN, Aktualne.cz, Respekt | affluent elite, business decision-makers |
| Radio (Czech Radio, Impuls, CMI, Media Bohemia) | national and regional radio | from young (Evropa 2) to 45+ (Radiozurnal) |
| BigBoard, JCDecaux | OOH and DOOH inventory | mass reach, cities and transit |
Brand or performance? Both, but on purpose
For performance, where you measure down to sales, Google, Meta, Seznam (Sklik) and retail media are key in Czechia. For brand and reach, that is building demand, TV (Nova, Prima) still leads, supported by OOH, radio, online video and strong portals. The best mix almost always combines both, in the spirit of Binet and Field: brand builds future demand, performance harvests today's. Do performance only and you will eventually find you are harvesting a field nobody sowed.
The takeaway (TL;DR)
- The market is driven by Nova (PPF), Seznam and Prima; in publishing Mafra, Czech News Center and Economia; out of home BigBoard and JCDecaux.
- TV and OOH are reach and brand tools; digital (Google, Meta, Seznam) and retail media drive performance.
- Profiles differ: Nova mainstream, Prima older, ČT educated, Blesk mass, Economia business elite, Evropa 2 young.
- Know the sales houses: Media Club (Prima), atmedia, Media Bohemia, BigMedia. Without that you buy blind.
- The best plan combines brand and performance, not just one of them.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the biggest media houses in the Czech Republic?
By revenue Nova (PPF), Seznam.cz and Prima. In publishing Mafra (MF Dnes, iDNES.cz), Czech News Center (Blesk, Reflex, e15) and Economia (HN, Aktualne.cz, Respekt). Public ČT and Czech Radio.
Whom do I reach on Nova versus Prima TV?
Nova targets a broad mainstream, roughly 15 to 54, centred on entertainment. Prima typically skews slightly older and more conservative. For maximum reach advertisers usually buy both.
Which medium is best for performance and which for brand?
For performance Google, Meta, Seznam (Sklik) and retail media. For brand and reach TV, OOH, radio and video. The best mix combines both: brand builds demand, performance harvests it.
Who sells advertising space in the Czech Republic?
Nova itself, Prima via Media Club, thematic channels via atmedia, radio via houses like Media Bohemia and Radiohouse, out of home via BigMedia and JCDecaux. In digital Google, Meta and Seznam.
Is Seznam still worth buying next to Google?
Yes. Google leads search, but Seznam holds a significant share and owns a strong ecosystem (Novinky, Seznam Zpravy, Sklik, Zbozi.cz), especially among older and more trusting audiences.
Sources: Association of Commercial Television (AKTV) · Mediar and MediaGuru (revenue, listenership, viewership) · Reuters Institute, Digital News Report (Czech Republic) · Radioprojekt (radio listenership) · SKMO / Nielsen (TV viewership) · Zenith (adspend). Ownership and market figures change quickly, treat them as directional and verify against current sources.
This is what we do: media planning & buying. And for how programmatic buying works, see this RTB guide (in Czech).
Planning brand and performance media in Czechia and want a plan with no hidden commissions or overlaps? Get in touch, the first opinion is free.