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Media Landscape - Latvia

INTRODUCTION

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Latvia, one of the three Baltic states, has a territory of 64.6 thousand square kilometers. The ethnic structure of the 2.3 million large population is diverse - 59% Latvians, 29% Russians, 3.8% Belo Russians and several other ethnic groups. The last decade of the 20th century and the first years of the 21st are years of dramatic change for Latvia - it regained independence from the Soviet Union, and joined the NATO and EU.

The transformation of Latvian media system that started with the ‘glasnost’ at the end of the 80s came to its end alongside with the consolidation of the democratic political regime (1996-2001), which manifested itself by stabilizing the mass communication market, professionalisation of journalism and media management.

The media system is divided into two subsystems ­ the Latvian and Russian language media. The Russian language media in Latvia do not fulfil the functions of typical minority media outlets. The Russian press represents not just the citizens of a certain minority, with specific interests and needs, but also non-citizens, who see newspapers as a resource in accessing the public sphere and as a bastion during times of change. In general, the media market in Latvia is quite diverse. However, since it is split into two parts (two languages), it is difficult to get one and the same information product to both target groups simultaneously. The division of the small media market influences the advertising revenue. The market size and other economic conditions do not promote specialization and the development of qualitative journalism.


1. WRITTEN PRESS

There was a transformation of press system after regaining Latvia’s independence. The comparatively small press market is divided in two languages, Latvian and Russian. Among national daily newspapers there are three Latvian language dailies issued six days a week. Diena, a prestigious quality paper has a circulation of about 55,000. It gradually became involved in the local newspaper business and now owns 9 local papers.

The Russian language press represents the diverse sub-system of the Latvian media system. There are only a few areas in which Russian publications lack an analogue to Latvian language publications. At the same time, readership levels of Russian language newspapers are far lower than those of their Latvian counterparts.

The popular mass newspaper Vesti segodnja (Today’s News) has the largest circulation among them – about 35,000. It focuses on the interests of the Russian society of Latvia. Bilingual newspapers, of which there have been four different attempts, have not been able to meet their different audience needs.

The appearance of 5 min (5 minutes) in 2005, a free daily newspaper in Latvian and Russian has been successful and has caused the increase of the readership of daily newspapers. It is viewed by media experts as an integrating factor of Latvian and Russophone audiences. Latvian and Russian audiences have different reading habits: non-Latvians prefer weekly newspapers, Latvians – weekly magazines, regional press and monthly magazines.

Women’s magazines – monthlies and weeklies in Latvian and Russian - represent the largest share of the diverse magazine market in Latvia. Recently there were about 190 magazines offered for subscription.


2. AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA

Television

There are two public service channels (LTV1 and LTV7), both covering the whole country. LTV1 is a Latvian language channel, and LTV7 produces sports programs, educational shows, entertainment and programs for various social groups and minorities, including a daily news program in Russian. The public TV is state funded, and additional revenue is gained from advertising and sponsored programs. Though during the last few years public TV has improved the quality of self-advertising, it has lost a part of its audience, and the market leaders are two commercial channels.

Quite popular, especially for the Russian speaking audiences is PBK (Pervij Baltijskij kanal - The first Baltic Channel) with the share of 10.4%. It mostly retransmits programs from Russia, however, it also airs local evening news in Russian. Commercial TV channels are more successful in competing for Russophone audiences.

Radio

85% of the inhabitants of Latvia listen to radio at least once a week, 67% once a day. There are 7 national, 9 Riga and 20 local/regional radio stations. Public radio is still quite popular among Latvian audiences: LR 2 ­ Latvian popular music channel has the largest audience (30%), LR1 ­ national news and talk channel (16%); Channel 4 - news, music and talk programs for Russian speakers (10%): and a channel for classical music fans ­ Klasika. Thanks to the four programs of the public radio and its wide coverage, it still takes quite a big share, though the audience is becoming older.

Public TV and radio have financial problems as the introduction of subscription fees has not received support.


3. DIGITAL SERVICES

The transition from analogue to digital TV is planned to be finished only by 2011, due to the fact the government’s contract with the foreign investor was announced invalid and the transition had to be postponed.


4. ONLINE MEDIA

The number of Internet subscriptions in Latvia is the lowest in the EU. It was only after liberalization of fixed telecommunications in 2003 that the intensity of Internet use started to grow - from 24.7% of the population in 2004 to 32% in 2005 and to 40% in 2006.

Riga inhabitants (43%) young people are the most active Internet users, whereas only 18% of people who live in Latgale, the least developed region in Latvia, use the Internet. There is a diversity of audience of Internet portals (by language) in comparison with press audience and their role is growing in creating a common information space.


5. NEWS AGENCIES

The national news agency LETA and the biggest agency in the Baltic countries BNS (Baltic News Service) coexist.


6. MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS

There are strong media organizations for employers. Latvia Journalist Union is a weak and non-prestigious professional organization for journalists. It acts neither as a trade union, nor as an authoritative, self-regulating professional association and its membership is decreasing.


7. NATIONAL MEDIA POLICIES

The Constitution, the Press and the Radio and Television Laws guarantee freedom of speech and prohibit censorship. The concentration of the mass media has not reached a level that would threaten the information diversity. However, the laws in Latvia do not ensure media ownership transparency, and information on the true owners of various media companies is not publicly accessible.

Newspapers that are financed by Western investors support editorial autonomy and are more likely to support the integration of society. There are no government subsidies in the newspaper market in Latvia. The laws applying to the electronic media, the tasks of the public broadcast media and the demands to be met when applying for a frequency should be more precisely formulated.


8. ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS

The Code of ethics for Latvia journalists, adopted by Latvia Journalist Union in 1992 operates formally. In addition, in 2001 the editorial staff of seven newspapers and the Radio KNZ signed a new code of ethics. There is no press ombudsman or institution that would investigate the potential violation of individual journalist’s rights other than the court. The National Broadcasting Council regulates both public and commercial broadcasting, monitors TV content and is entitled to punish TV channels for broadcasting violence, pornography and national hatred.


9. RECENT MEDIA DEVELOPMENTS

Market pressures have resulted in a simplified media content and commercialization of media in Latvia.

The politization of the media companies and their ties to political economic groups cause the political engagement of journalism. The electronic media represent more the diverse composition of the society than does the daily press. Partisanship is less manifested in TV than in press. Qualitative press and investigative journalism is underdeveloped in Latvia.


10. REFERENCES

  • Brikše, I, Skudra, O., Tjarve, R. (2002) Development of the media in Latvia in the 1990s. In: Baltic Media in Transition (ed. by P. Vihalemm). Tartu: Tartu University Press
  • Dimants, A. (2005) Editorial Censorship in the Baltic and Norwegian Newspapers. In: The Baltic Media World /ed. by R.Berug. – Rīga: Flēra Printing House
  • Dupuis, I. (2003) Journalism in Latvia: a profession in transition. – Berlin: Nordeuropa-Institut der Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin
  • Kruks, S, Šulmane, I. (2005) The Media in a Democratic Society. In: How Democratic is Latvia. Audit of Democracy. Scient. ed. J.Rozenvalds. ­ Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds
  • Kruks, S. (2005) Radiožurnālistika. Rīga: Valters un Rapa
  • Nagla, I., Kehre, A. (2004) Latvia. In: Media ownership and its impact on media independence and pluralism. Ed. by B.Petkovic. Ljubljana: Peace Institute, p. 262
  • Rožukalne, A. (2005) Latvijas žurnālu tirgus attīstības tendences: 1991-1995. (Development trends in Latvia’s magazine market) Komunikācija. Acta Universitatis Latviensis. Vol. 683 Riga: The University of Latvia Press
  • Šulmane I. (2006) Russian Media in Latvia. In: Latvian-Russian Relations: Domestic and International Dimensions./Ed. by N.Muižnieks. – Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais Apgāds
  • Šulmane I., Kruks S. (2006) Neiecietības izpausmes un iecietības veicināšana Latvijas presē 2004. gadā. Laikrakstu publikāciju analīze. – Rīga: ĪUMSIL
  • Sulmane I., Kruks S. (2002) Ethnic and political stereotypes in Latvian and Russian press in Latvia” In: Humanities and Social Sciences. Latvia. Riga: University of Latvia, 1(34)
  • Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence. Latvia. (2005) (S.Kruks) OSI, Riga: Nordik p.179-236
  • TNS Latvia
  • Veinberga, S. (2005) Masmediji: prese, radio un televīzija/ Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC
  • http://www.tns.lv
  • http://www.lpia.lv
  • http://www.bns.lv
  • http://www.leta.lv
  • http://www.nrtp.lv


11. The author

Ilze Šulmane, Mag. Soc. Sc., lecturer of department of Communication studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Latvia.

Excerpt from EUROPEAN MEDIA GOVERNANCE: THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DIMENSIONS, published by Intellect (http://www.intellectbooks.com).

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