Latvian Saeima’s press-service reports about the trip of its deputies to Tallinn. The purpose of this visit is studying Estonian public media ERR operations and funding model. During this visit, Latvian Saeima deputies concluded the decision to merge Latvia’s public media “is a correct and forward-looking decision”.
Together with the chairman of Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee Ieva Brante and members of the committee, representatives from LTV and Latvijas Radio and media supervisory institutions – Public Electronic Mass Media Council and National Electronic Mass Media Council – travelled to Tallinn.
“The merge of the various media should be done reasonably and without haste,” said Brante after studying Estonia’s experience in merging media, adding that Latvia “will continue making the necessary steps towards creating a strong and unified public media”.
Saeima deputies met with the management of Estonia’s ERR and “learned about the benefits and challenges related to radio and television merge”, the press-release mentions. Deputies also asked questions about various practical aspects, financing included.
According to information from Estonian public broadcasters,
ERR budget in 2022 was equal to 0.12% of the country’s GDP.
The average in Europe is 0.18%. The volume mentioned as preferable for Latvian public media is 0.16% of GDP. Similarly to Latvia, the northern neighbour sometimes suggests adopting the classic financing model for broadcasters – subscription fee (charged to practically all residents).
LTV and Latvijas Radio employees would rather avoid such a solution because it could affect their popularity among residents. Latvian Minister of Finance Arvils Ašeradens allows for the possibility of adopting a special tax to help finance Latvian public media.
During the meeting in Tallinn, officials discussed the future goals of Estonian merged media, including the construction of a new television broadcast centre.
ERR combines three TV channels (one of them, ERR+ broadcasts in Russian language), five radio stations (one broadcasts for national minority languages – Russian included. One more is for foreign audience), news portals in Estonian, English and Russian languages, as well as sports news portal.
Brante reported that in the middle of June there are plans to visit Lithuania for the same purpose.
Also read: Latvian minister warns public media budget “in percentage from GDP” is impossible