Pravo and the dying left

Of all the serious Czech newspapers, Právo is the most fun to read. There's usually something outrageous or nonconformist in its coverage. It's the only major paper with a well-defined political stance, but as the voice of the left its future is linked to two downward trends. First, the left is in a tailspin that might last for years. Právo has bet on Stanislav Gross, who is turning out to be a "dog" in sports terminology. And second, Právo's readers are dying off. ČTK reported that half of all Communist Party members are older than 70. Právo's sales have fallen by 6.7% this year, the most off all major dailies. The death of the left might well mean the death of Právo as we know it. The International Herald Tribune reported that Právo was sold to foreign-controlled PNS. It was a blooper - Právo is the only daily still in Czech hands - but it might be a foreshadow of what's to come. Czech Republic Borgis a.s.