The Prix Bohemia Radio festival has begun: the Hana Maciuchová Award, the Hall of Fame and the Radio Thalia Award were presented
The 42nd edition of the Prix Bohemia Radio international festival began today in Olomouc. The Hana Maciuchová Award was presented to actor and director Miroslav Krobot. Lada Klokočníková and Eva Ješutová were inducted into the Czech Radio Hall of Fame. Actress Magdaléna Borová won the Radio Thalia Award for her role as Marianne in Ingmar Bergman’s radio play Scenes from a Marriage.
The festival continues until Thursday 22 October with competition broadcasts, debates, live recordings and a programme for the public and students.
A total of 167 entries were submitted to this year’s 42nd Prix Bohemia Radio – 35 documentaries, 29 dramas, 67 Czech and international reports, and 36 podcasts. This year’s edition also marks ten years of the News Report category, which is the only one open to foreign broadcasters.
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“We want to keep opening up the Prix Bohemia Radio to professionals, listeners, students and anyone interested in contemporary audio production in the long term. Joint listening sessions and subsequent discussions provide an opportunity to hear high-quality works in context, whilst also meeting their creators in person. Moreover, the tenth anniversary of the News Report category this year offers a chance to look back at a genre that is exceptionally adept at capturing the world around us in a very immediate way,” says festival director Kateřina Konopásková.
Over the coming days, alongside the competition screenings, the festival will feature, for example, meetings with actors Otakar Brousek, Martin Finger and Igor Bareš, a panel discussion with young scientists Žárovky, the performance Špinarka, a concert by Načeva and her band, the debate Slovenská lekce on public service media in Slovakia, and live podcast recording Buchty: Barevný kotlík. The programme also includes events for school and university students.
In the Podcast category, voting for the Listeners’ Choice Award is still underway, and the public can take part until 2.30 pm on Thursday 22 October. The festival will culminate on Thursday 22 October with a gala evening featuring the presentation of awards to the winners of the individual competition categories.
Miroslav Krobot received the Hana Maciuchová Award
Miroslav Krobot is this year’s recipient of the Hana Maciuchová Award. The award, presented by the Moravian Theatre in Olomouc in collaboration with the City of Olomouc, is named after the actress who was long associated with Olomouc and the Prix Bohemia Radio festival, where she served as honorary president. The prize is intended for prominent artistic figures with links to the Olomouc region.
Krobot has strong personal and professional ties to the region. He was born in Šumperk, grew up and studied in Zábřeh, and in recent years has repeatedly returned to work on productions for the Moravian Theatre in Olomouc. This year, he staged his original production Bořiny za břehem there, which was tailor-made for the Olomouc drama company.
The Hall of Fame
During the opening ceremony, Lada Klokočníková and Eva Ješutová were inducted into the Czech Radio Hall of Fame. Since 2011, Czech Radio has been inducting figures into the Hall of Fame who, through their creative work, journalism or presenting, have made a significant mark on the history of broadcasting.
Lada Klokočníková has been associated with Czech Radio Hradec Králové since 1985. She began as a news editor, later working as a presenter and writer for current affairs programmes. She has held the post of editor-in-chief since 2004 and is now the station’s programme director.
She has also made a significant contribution to the Hradec Králové radio station’s own programming. In 1995, she was instrumental in launching the magazine programme Šarm, which focuses on healthy lifestyles, fashion and interesting personalities.
The programme also gave rise to the popular listener poll Charming Personality of the Year, which, since 1996, has been recognising personalities with exceptional charisma and a down-to-earth approach. In 2026, the poll will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Listeners also know Lada Klokočníková from the programme Páteční Habaděj.
Over the course of her long career, she has become one of the leading figures at Czech Radio Hradec Králové. She regards radio as her fulfilled professional dream and values, above all, the opportunity to meet interesting people and bring good cheer and positive energy to listeners.
Eva Ješutová joined the radio station in 1981 and has devoted her professional career primarily to the radio archive and the history of radio. She has long been involved in the digitisation of archive collections, specialist research, anniversary projects and publications charting the history of Czech Radio.
She was also instrumental in the launch of the magazine Svět rozhlasu and a number of projects that make the radio heritage accessible to the public. She also worked to popularise the history of radio through Czech Radio’s current affairs programmes. She has authored or contributed to publications such as Normalisation in Czechoslovak Radio (1998), Czechoslovak Radio on the Road to Democracy. From Perestroika to Free Elections (2002), and From the Microphone to the Listeners (2003), which remains the most extensive and comprehensive account of the history of Czech Radio to date.
Radio Thalia Award for Magdaléna Borová
The Radio Thalia Award was won by Magdaléna Borová for her role as Marianne in Ingmar Bergman’s radio play Scenes from a Marriage, directed by Beata Parkanová. The jury particularly praised the authenticity of her performance, her natural acting style and her ability to convincingly portray the transformations of a woman navigating various relationship ups and downs.
“The Prix Bohemia Radio is not only a showcase for contemporary radio and audio productions, but also a place where we can honour the individuals who have shaped it over the long term. Lada Klokočníková and Eva Ješutová have spent the bulk of their professional lives with Czech Radio, and I am delighted to have been able to honour these two extraordinary ladies today. I would also like to extend my warmest congratulations to Miroslav Krobot and Magdaléna Borová on their awards,” said René Zavoral, Director-General of Czech Radio.
