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Michal Kovačič (born 1983) is a Slovak journalist and talk show host.

Early life

Born in Bratislava, Kovačič studied law at the Comenius University graduating in 2009. He started as a production assistant before becoming a presenter of the Markíza morning news, later promoted to main news presenter. Between 2007 and 2008, Kovačič was a news presenter on Fun Rádio.

Career

Kovačič joined the main news team at the private Markíza television station in 2008, but took a short break from broadcasting in 2010 to undertake an internship in the United States on CNN. In 2018, he started hosting the political talk show Na Telo on Markíza, which quickly established itself as the most influential political talk show in Slovakia. In 2022, Kovačič finished eighth place as one of the contestants in Let's Dance.

Following the 2023 Slovak parliamentary election, the government of Slovakia was reported to pressure Markíza to align its narratives with government's point of view through threatening of redirecting advertisement funds from governmental institutions and public-owned firms to other broadcasters. Kovačič emerged amongst the leaders of Markíza journalist, who saw these developments as a censorship attempt. Wanting to resist these pressures, the journalists started to unite with Kovačič as the head of the new trade union organization.

When the government of Slovakia started to boycott Na Telo in April 2024, Kovačič broadcast a short unauthorized speech at the end of Na Telo, accusing the Markíza management for being complicit in the government's agenda of censoring the political content in the media, mirroring the approach of Viktor Orbán in Hungary. Following the broadcast, Kovačič was taken off-screen. Over a hundred of Markíza journalists wrote a letter in support of Kovačič, demanding his return as a host of Na Telo and guarantees of journalistic independence in Markíza broadcasting. He was fired one month after the incident and has since considered legal action.

Personal life

In 2017, Kovačič married the journalist Zuzana Hanzelová. They spent their honeymoon volunteering in Nicaragua. The couple announced they were expecting their first child in 2024.

References

1. "Alumni list of the Comenius University". Comenius University (in Slovak). Retrieved 16 June 2024.
2. ^ "Spíkri - Michal Kovačič". Itapa (in Slovak). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
3. ^ "Fun Radio | "Raz večer ma Sajfa na 40 minút vymkol na balkóne" Michal Kovačič hosťom u Adely a Sajfu". Fun Radio (in Slovak). 15 May 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
4. Gálisová, Zuzana. "Predstavíme vám moderátora Michala Kovačiča, ako ho nepoznáte" (in Slovak). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
5. "Na telo suverénne najsledovanejšou politickou diskusiou, k obrazovkám pritiahlo takmer pol milióna ľudí" (in Slovak). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
6. "Nešťastná láska v podaní Bardyho zodvihla divákov zo stoličiek! Let's Dance opustil Kovačič". Pravda (in Slovak). 4 April 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
7. Struhárik, Filip (19 March 2024). "Kovačič, Vincze a ďalší novinári Markízy zakladajú odbory. Chceme zachovať úroveň spravodajstva, tvrdia". Denník N (in Slovak). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
8. Osvaldová, Lucia; Mikušovič, Dušan (12 April 2024). "Ficova koalícia bojkotuje reláciu Na telo v Markíze". Denník N (in Slovak). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
9. Katuška, Michal. "Markíza čoraz menej skrýva, že Kovačič musí odísť. Vedeniu prekáža už aj ako odborový predák". Sme (in Slovak). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
10. "Moderátor Michal Kovačič dostal v televízii Markíza výpoveď". Denník N (in Slovak). 28 June 2024.
11. "Tehotná Kovačič Hanzelová v posilňovni: Ukázala bruško v plnej paráde! Video". koktejl.azet.sk (in Slovak). 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.

• 1983 births
• Living people
• Slovak journalists
• Comenius University alumni
• Slovak television presenters
• People from Bratislava