The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed urgent amendments to the law regulating the Latvian Public Service Media (LSM), LSM reports. Under the changes, LSM will be required to retain the historical names of its radio and TV channels, Latvijas Radio and Latvijas Televizija (LTV). Also, Latvijas Radio’s and LTV’s news services will have to continue as editorially separate and independent units. Latvijas Radio and LTV were merged under LSM as of 1 January 2025. Earlier, LSM employees, the Public Electronic Mass Media Council (SEPLP), and the European Broadcasting Union expressed fears that the amendments could open the way to political interference in LSM’s work, LSM reported. LSM board chair Baiba Zuzena warned that regulating LSM’s internal organisation through legislation created direct risks to LSM’s independence. Meanwhile, the parliament has passed a law precluding LSM from publishing content in Russian other than in exceptional circumstances, LSM reported.
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