On Thursday, 18 January, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Law on Public Electronic Mass Media and Administration Thereof, according to which, from 1 January 2025, a single public media company entitled Latvian Public Media will be introduced as a result of merging the Latvian Television and Latvian Radio.

Merging of the public media will provide significant benefits and contribution to the development of the Latvian media space, which will also benefit public media employees. It is important for the public to receive reliable information, especially from public media. The merger will strengthen the quality of media content, emphasises Leila Rasima, Chair of the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee of the Saeima, responsible for the amendments to the law. She points out that the combined media will use public funds more efficiently, for example by optimising administrative and legal processes so that more money can be spent on content creation.

Until the end of this year, the National Electronic Mass Media Council (SEPLP) together with the management and employees of the Latvian Television and Latvian Radio will prepare for the merger. Leila Rasima emphasises that the committee will continue to follow the merger process, especially by making sure that the interests of employees are taken into account and previous agreements have been implemented.

According to SEPLP, the merger of the media will take place in two phases: this year, it is planned to combine financial management, legal services, record keeping, but by 2026 to prepare the implementation of the final structure of the combined media. Work is already under way on a unified remuneration system for both media, which is currently different for the Latvian Television and Latvian Radio, as well as the issue of premises of the combined media will have to be solved.

Among the benefits of a single media, SEPLP has highlighted the development of digital content, technology and infrastructure, the removal of legal barriers in joint projects, the administrative savings, as well as opportunities to improve working conditions in a large company.

The total funding required for merging the two media into one company in 2024 is around 384.4 thousand euros.

The amendments to the law also provide that after 1 January 2025, the chief editors of the Latvian Radio and Latvian Television will continue working in the combined media until the SEPLP elects the chief editor of the Latvian Public Media.

Saeima Press Service