About Respekt

Respekt then and now

Respekt is a political weekly newspaper and on-line service published in Prague. In its mission statement, Respekt believes in freedom of human spirit and the necessity of being open to doubt in an everyday process of fulfilling this freedom. Respekt covers national and international affairs with deep analysis, opinion pieces, and reports.

Wide range of highly prominent writers from Czech Republic and abroad contribute to Respekt to maintain its position of political weekly newspapers of first choice for educated readers. Every week, Respekt also reprints several topics from The Economist and other syndicated content.

Respekt sells about 30.000 copies and is read by approximately 100.000 readers every week.

Since 1993, Respekt has been owned by Karel Schwarzenberg, member of Senate and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. In 2006, Zdenek Bakala, one of the most influential businessmen in the Czech Republic, joined Mr. Schwarzenberg as a co-owner. In this respect, Messrs. Schwarzenberg and Bakala are shareholders of Respekt Publishing a.s., publisher of Respekt weekly.

Editors in chief

Erik Tabery (since 2009)
Martin M. Šimečka (2006–2008)
Marek Švehla (2005–2006 )
Tomáš Němeček (2003–2005)
Petr Holub (1998–2002)
Martin Fendrych (1998)
Vladimír Mlynář (1994–1997)
Ivan Lamper (1990–1994)
Jan Ruml (1990)

Awards won

RESPEKT weekly
1st prize in the category of news and/or economic weekly magazine in the 2. year of the competition „Magazine of the year 2005“ held by the Union of publishers. More (in Czech)

Eliška Bártová
1st prize and the award „For diversity. Against discrimination.“ In the national round of the 2nd year of the Antidiscrimination Campaign held by EU for the article „I complain!“ (Žaluji!) in Respekt n. 11/2005.

RESPEKT weekly
Awards in the 1st year of the competition „The best magazines of the year 2004“ held by the Union of publishers:
1st prize in the „The best cover of the year“ category, Respekt n. 31
2nd prize in the „Social and news journals“ category.

Tomáš Němeček
3rd Award of Ferdinand Peroutka for the year 2004 awarded for the editorship of Respekt.

Markéta Pilátová a Jiří Sobota
1st prize in the journalist competition „A story of a refugee“ in the category of press for the article „A threat comes from Africa“ published in Respekt in 2004. Photo

R-PRESSE, spol. s r. o.
Winner of the „Competition for the best company with equal chances for men and women in the Czech Republic“ of the year 2004 in the category of small and medium companies, awarded by a non-governmental organization Gender Studies. More

Jaroslav Spurný
Journalist award of Karel Havlíček Borovský in the year 2003 awarded by the foundation of „The Czech literary fund“ for the outstanding quality level of the investigative journalism. Photo

Erik Tabery
Award of the foundation of Czech literary fund „The journalist quail“ of the year 2002 (an award for journalist up to 33 yrs of age) for the competent and objective comments. Photo

Respekt weekly
Award for the variability of the news „International Media Tenor Award“ awarded by Media Tenor at the conference Agenda Setting 2002 of RESPEKT weekly for the most frequent quotations, most published stories from external authors, for most quotated sources and for the diversity of political news. This prize was also awarded to the news of ČT1 and Hospodářské noviny. Photo

Zbyněk Petráček
3rd Award of Ferdinand Peroutka for the year 1999.

Tomáš Němeček
1st prize of Citibank „Excellence in Journalism Award“ for the best economic article of the year 1999.

Marek Švehla
1st prize of Citibank „Excellence in Journalism Award“ for the best economic article of the year 1998.
Certificate of the Czech National Bank governor for the best economic article of the year 1998.

Jiří Peňás
The prize of Czech literary fund The prize of Czech literary fund „The journalist quail“ of the year 1998.

Jan Macháček
Preiss Award of an economic journalist of the year 1996.

Vladimír Mlynář
The prize of Czech literary fund „The journalist quail“ of the year 1996 
Award of František Peroutka for the year 1996.

Ivan Lamper
Prize of the American journalists organization World Press Review "Editor of the Year 1991".