Tens of thousands of protesters in downtown Prague loudly applauded late Thursday the decision by embattled Czech TV boss Jiri Hodac to quit his post, citing health reasons.

Around 50,000 protestors had gathered in Prague for the latest mass show of support for striking journalist's calling for an end to political meddling in the state media. But the move failed immediately to resolve the three-week row, as three other key television executives insisted they would not go, despite calls from protesting journalists for them to do so. Some 178,000 Czechs have so far signed petitions backing the rebel journalists, who scored a first major victory this week when management lifted a ban on transmissions of their news broadcasts. "The strike at Czech Television (CT) -- which does not interrupt normal transmissions -- will continue because the striker's demands have not been met," said state television union chief, Antonin Dekoj. Protesting journalists are still demanding the departure of managers appointed by Hodac, including news director Jana Bobosikova. Bobosikova said Thursday that the sackings of some 20 rebels journalists remained valid and she would see to it they that are removed. Demonstrations also took place in the second Czech city of Brno, as well as in Ostrava, Ceske Budejovice, Hradec Kralove and other key towns.