The supervisory council of Estonia’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), has dismissed its long-term chairman, Rein Veidemann, ERR reports. Earlier, Veidemann had criticised an interview of a same-sex couple with two children that was aired on ETV, saying that the programme ran counter to the values of the majority of Estonians. ERR’s supervisory council elected…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed in final reading amendments to ban advertising of beer and wine on radio and TV, Baltic News Network reports. The ban will apply to advertisements that include information on prices and discounts. The restriction is aimed at reducing the total consumption and negative impact of alcohol on young…
Latvia’s new early warning system will not be implemented at the end of 2024 as planned because of a delay in the procurement process, Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis announced, LSM reports. He said that the delay was due to the many legal appeals during the procurement procedure. The ministry announced a procurement tender for the…
Latvia’s National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) has awarded free terrestrial TV broadcasting rights to Re MEDIA’s ReTV and 4.vara’s TV4 in 2025-2026, BNS reports. Re MEDIA’s owner is Jurgis Abele, while 4.vara’s owners are Sweden’s Silver Spring Media (79.99%), Kristaps Zalitis’s LZI (12.52%), and Arturs Vaskis’s AV Management (7.49%). NEPLP will announce a repeated…
US technology company Google has removed altogether 18 Belarusian radio and TV channels from its YouTube video platform following a request from the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (LRTK), BNS reports. LRTK said that the accounts were directly linked to the Belarusian state broadcaster, Belteleradiocompany (BTRC), which is under EU sanctions. LRTK had made…
Latvia’s Public Electronic Mass Media Council (SEPLP) has told the state-owned TV channel, LTV7, to provide all content in Latvian only as of 1 January 2025, BNS reports. Currently, LTV7 carries programmes in Russian as well. Earlier, the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, approved a new national security concept that obliges Latvia’s public broadcasters to have…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved in final reading amendments to merge the country’s public broadcasters, Latvijas Televizija (LTV) and Latvijas Radio, in 2025, LETA reported. Under the plan, the two companies will merge into a new public broadcasting corporation, Latvijas Sabiedriskais Medijs (LSM). Latvijas Radio’s trade union objected to the plan, arguing that…
Lithuania’s Competition Council has blocked All Media Lithuania’s acquisition of several local radio stations, BNS reports. All Media Lithuania, part of Baltic media group TV3 Group, planned to acquire 100% of shares in three companies that operate radio stations Laluna, Lietus, M-1, M-1 Plius, and Raduga, as well as advertising agency Reklamos Ekspertai. The Competition…
Swedish media company Viaplay Group will exit the Baltic market as part of its cost-saving plans, ERR reports. Viaplay broadcasts entertainment and live sports, including matches from top European football leagues. Viaplay Group reported a net loss of SEK 6.174mn (EUR 534,000) in the first half of 2023.