Remembering Eva Lickova (1945-1997) To the bereaved, my dear guests in mourning, we have gathered here today to say our last farewells to a person very close to us all, Dr Eva Lickova, CSc. For one of those present today, Eva was a close life partner, for another two, a mother, for most of us she was a widely appreciated, expert, and special colleague, who left us unexpectedly at the very peak of her professional career. Eva Lickova’s life began in 1945 in Mlada Boleslav, but she spent her youth in Brno, where she studied at secondary school and began her university studies. At some time in this period, her great and possibly life-long passion for the theatre was born, a passion which was probably initially enlivened by her girlhood dreams of a life in the theatre. As a student, Eva was practically a daily visitor of the Brno theatre. So it’s no surprise that when in 1968 she completed her studies in theatre history and theory in combination with Czech, at the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University, her diploma work was dedicated to the dramatic works of Arthur Miller. Thereafter, she stayed close to the theatre, more specifically with creating drama, if not systematically, then certainly continually, so the number of television productions to which she contributed as an author, will certainly have been a surprise for those of you who knew her as a scientifically erudite expert in the field of research. Eva Lickova  gained the title PhDr in 1974, again at the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University with a CSc degree in sciences. Then in 1983 on the basis of her dissertation work ‘Dramatic works for television and a survey of their effect on society.’ At that time Dr Lickova was already working in the Analytical Department of ÈsT (Czech T.V.), where she initially worked intensively on compiling a dictionary of television terminology. She then later devoted herself more and more to questions of sociological research and also partly to the theory of the television program.. In 1990, she became the head of the department of program analysis  in the formation of SAPA in what was then Czechoslovak, later Czech television, and from 1994, that is from the first year of broadcasting, she worked in NOVA television as head of the research department. With her immense industry, activity and professional authority, she was the main factor which ensured that the field of media research received the attention which was due to it. Moreover, she recently played a large part in the introduction of peoplemeter research into the viewing figures for Czech television stations. Dr Lickova’s pedagogical activities were very significant. From 1982 she was an external lecturer on the theory of the television documentary, she co-operated with the faculties of Philosophy and Journalism at Charles University, whilst carrying out her diploma work in the fields of the television program and surveys of television viewers. She then worked at the current faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University as a full-time pedagogue in the branch of  ‘television and film in mass communication’, specifically for the branch of research into mass media. Thus she managed to successfully combine her own practical experience from the field of television and media research generally with the education of the younger generation in an academic environment. It is impossible, in a few sentences, to describe the life of someone  as active as Dr Eva Lickova was. For example, she worked on SÈDU, a committee for television theory and criticism, she was a member of the council of the Institute of journalistic theory and practise at the Faculty of Journalism, Charles University, she collaborated with a range of foreign institutions and organisations, especially in connection with  EBU, a tally of the various seminars and conferences at which she participated would be extensive, and a list of her rich and wide-ranging publications would be equally long. All of us who were lucky enough during the past few years to be in working contact with the deceased, or even to be her close colleagues, know very well how we have profited from her expert knowledge, drawn inspiration from her selflessly offered advice and information, found support from her, and basic humanitarian help in her life wisdom. Also an example to us all, was her enormous dedication to her work which sometimes even bordered on self-sacrifice. It is said that everybody is replaceable. This is more true for some and less for others. However it will be extremely difficult and will take a very long time to fill the space that Eva has left, both in NOVA and among us all. Our respected colleague, dear Eva, beloved wife, dearly loved mother, may the earth shield and protect you. Allow me, on behalf of the husband, the children and the other bereaved, to thank you all for your participation in the ceremony and for your commiseration.