There are active attempts to bring back content from Russian TV channels to Latvia, said chairman of National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) Ivars Āboliņš in and interview to 900 seconds programme of TV3.
As an example of this he mentioned some local businessman that wanted to register four banned Russian TV channels as Latvian media. He did not reveal the name of this businessman, saying only that he does not want to promote him.
NEPLP has also registered cases when TV channels in Latvia include content from banned Russian TV channels. The council plans to discuss and make decisions on such cases.
«Work is being done,» said Āboliņš.
«These attempts to bring back this content to Latvia are real. This is why we have to be on alert, our monitoring centre needs to be on alert, and we need to adapt out laws to the existing situation.»
He recently returned from a trip to Ukraine, where he exchanged experience with local media sector representatives. Āboliņš said Ukraine is interested in Latvia’s accomplishments in media literacy, as well as various legislative acts, especially in regards to restricting access to Russian TV channels and internet websites.
Latvia, on the other hand, wants to learn from Ukraine how to ensure media broadcasts in the event of «x hour».
As previously reported, following the start of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, NEPLP banned many Russian TV channels and websites featuring Russian propaganda.