Not only theory but also practice. Who shared their experiences at ICSJ during the winter semester?

During the winter semester, the Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism welcomed a number of distinguished guests who provided students with insights into their professional careers and offered valuable perspectives on various aspects of media, politics, and culture.

Below is a selection of guest lecturers from both the Czech and English study programs who spoke at ICSJ. This is not a complete list, but rather an overview of some of the most interesting visits and discussions that enriched the winter semester.

Czech programs

Petr Juráň from the agency Cheil Czech and Slovakia, where he specializes in business relations and client strategy, visited the course Dějiny a teorie marketingové komunikace. He provided insights into the development of the marketing industry and shared experiences from working with their exclusive client.

Marek Šulík, Slovak director and author of the documentary Prezidentka about Zuzana Čaputová, was a guest at the Rozhlasové tvůrčí dílny course. Students had the opportunity to listen to an interview with him conducted by Václav Hojný. In the same course, other guests also participated, including Matěj Baránek, a presenter at Rádio Slovensko, who introduced students to his work in the radio industry. Reports from these meetings are available online.

Jaroslav Kábele, General Director of the Czech News Agency (ČTK), visited the course Žurnalistická tvorba I. He discussed the functioning of ČTK, its role in the Czech media landscape, and the challenges it faces. Also appearing in the same course was Petra Procházková, a journalist from Deník N, writer, and humanitarian worker, who shared her experiences reporting from crisis regions.

Petr David Josek, a photojournalist for AP, visited IKSŽ as part of the Vizuální žurnalistika course. Students learned about his experiences covering conflict zones and the process behind capturing iconic journalistic photographs. Other guests in this course included Karel Cudlín, documentary photographer, Jan Ždimera, photo editor at ČTK, Zuzana Jarolímková from Czech Radio, and Dan Materna, production director at Czech Photo Centre.

Roman Vondrouš, a ČTK photojournalist, participated in a critical reflection on student projects as part of the master's course Foto dílny: Fotoesej.

Silvie Lauder, journalist at Respekt magazine, appeared in the Aktuální mediální témata course. She shared her experience of working in the Czech media and discussed what it means to be a journalist in today’s world. Also appearing in the same course was Martina Poliaková, Head of Strategic Development at Czech Radio, who provided insights into the institution’s history and future. Terezie Kovalová, musician and cellist, spoke about the digitalization of culture with a focus on the music industry, while Apolena Rychlíková, journalist, filmmaker, and co-founder of the media outlet Page Not Found, introduced her work and the concept of slow journalism.

Martina Poliaková, Head of Strategic Development at Czech Radio

Radko Hokovský, Secretary to the President of the Czech Republic, appeared in the course Politický management a leadership I. He provided students with insights into his work, the presidential campaign process, and the transition to office.

Niki Kabátová, known from the reality show Survivor Česko & Slovensko, visited the course Reality show jako fenomén, where she shared her experiences with the competition and its media coverage. Kateřina Zavadová, creative producer of Love Island and Bachelor, also discussed the behind-the-scenes of reality shows.

Jiří Kubík, an investigative journalist at Seznam Zprávy, spoke in the course Mediální tvorba pro magistry. He shared insights into investigative journalism and its methodologies. In the same course, Marie Bastlová, host of the podcasts Ptám se já and Mediální cirkus, also gave a lecture.

Jan Ždimera, photo editor at ČTK, and Milan Kroulík, editor and web editor at Respekt, spoke in the course Editování zpravodajských relací. They introduced students to their work in editing and visual journalism.

Adéla Šponerová, journalist and author of On Fashion: O bezvýznamnosti módy, lectured in the course Oděv a módní fotografie jako prostředky neverbální komunikace. She explored various aspects of the fashion industry and its relationship with the media.

Jakub Szántó from Czech Television visited the course Ohniska napětí ve světě, where he focused on the Middle East. Jan Švec from the Institute of International Relations discussed China and its role in global politics, while Jiří Just, a journalist based in Russia, analyzed the situation in Russia and Ukraine.

Daniel Stach, a presenter at Czech Television, participated in the seminar Komunikace vědy. Also attending were Veronika Sedláčková, spokesperson for the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and Pavla Hubálková, a journalist writing for Wired.

Daniel Stach, a presenter at Czech Television

Aneta Martínková, music journalist, gave a lecture on the relationship between music and the body as part of the course Média a pop.

Miro Sabo, fashion designer and head of the Fashion Design Studio at UMPRUM, spoke in the seminar Fashion Marketing. He introduced his work, his collaborations with designer Raf Simons, and his future plans.

Ivana Karásková and Dominika Urhová from the think tank AMO spoke about China in the course Kritické myšlení a etika.

Roman Máca, an expert on disinformation, lectured in the course Teoretické aspekty vládní komunikace. He focused on the government’s fight against disinformation, Russian propaganda, and related topics.

English Programs for International Students

Dr. Rebecca Goldstein gave a lecture in the course Cultural Studies titled Why the Greeks Invented Philosophy.

Laura Snapes, editor of the music section at The Guardian, visited IKSŽ as part of the Media Mondays course. She shared insights on contemporary music journalism and the challenges journalists in this field face. A recording of the debate is available online.

Darmanto, a researcher at the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, delivered a lecture titled More than Journalism: Online Media, Mining, and Environmental Activism in the North Moluccas of Indonesia in the course Media Mondays.

Petr David Josek, a photojournalist for AP, came to IKSŽ to discuss his work as part of the course Post-digital Photojournalism.

Zdislava Pokorná, an investigative journalist from Deník N, led several lectures in the course Media in Post-Totalitarian Countries, where she shared her experience in investigative reporting.