Fascinating idea: state media independent of the state. It should be kindly suggested to Dvořák, the new boss of Prague city transportation, that he should now focus only on maintaining traffic order. But then again, perhaps it would be safer for city transportation if he takes care of the media.

Meanwhile, if Dvořák's imbecility isn't enough to baffle you, there's always the peculiar interventions of foxy ex-rocker, overt Civic Democrat (ODS) supporter and ČRo council member Dana Jaklová, ex-wife of Ladislav Jakl, secretary of Václav Klaus. Remarkably, 17 years after the revolution, Jaklová has complained to the parliamentary media committee that public radio's presentation of information is endangering democracy. And she's clearly not rocking anymore--another of her proposals is that ČRo's very successful station for young people, Český rozhlas 4-Radio Wave, should be switched off.

Why on earth Jaklová's done this is the subject of a lot of speculation. Observers talk of the acrimony she's said to feel for ČRo, where she worked unhappily as a journalist until late 2004. But a more probable explanation may reside in her link to her present employer, media lobbyist Jaroslav Berka, owner of regional TV network Regionální Televizní Agentura (RTA) and news server operator Česká média. Berka is said to be in dire financial straits. He obtained and lost a digital broadcasting license, failed to sell RTA to Prima TV and saw TV Nova, which Česká media once worked for, returned to its American owner against his wishes. Does Jaklová's intervention show who Berka's taskmaster is nowadays? Commercial station Radio 1 is one rival that would be delighted to see the competition disappear from the airwaves.

ČRo general director Václav Kasík can hold forth on fulfilling public service needs all he likes but Jaklová bluntly defies him. "The disappearance of Wave Radio wouldn't disturb me. Programs for the young are provided by commercial stations," she blithely told weekly Respekt. If Jaklová is serious about another one of her recent activities--attempting to crack down on dastardly journalists who, shame on them, have been publishing the opinions of other ČRo council members--she'll need to offer better pearls of wisdom than that.

Perhaps it's high time to ban lobbyists and their employees from sitting on public broadcasting councils. Berka and his pals in the ODS should back such a restriction. Jaklová's made them a laughing stock. Perhaps that's the kind of mess you can get yourself into when you live with the soul of a slave.