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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Friday, 26.04.2024, 21:56

Culture minister: just creating a new channel is not enough to strengthen Latvia's information space

BC, Riga, 01.04.2015.Print version
It is not enough to just to create a new Latvian Television channel in Russian to strengthen Latvia's information space, that is why the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEMMC) has been given the task to look for further solutions, Culture Minister Dace Melbarde (All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK) told members of the press today after a government meeting, reports LETA.

''In order to counter propaganda, the implementation of one measure is not enough. A whole string of measures must be implemented,'' she said.

 

Melbarde informed that the government today supported the Culture Ministry's proposals to strengthen the national information space, which includes strengthening the monitoring capacity of the NEMMC, improving the cooperation between Latvian and EU media, as well as strengthening the national media content and its competitiveness.

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma (Unity) praised the work of the Culture Ministry, admitting that this is the first time that she has seen such a serious strategy been put together in this area.

 

As reported, the National Electronic Mass Media Council decided on March 19 to approve the establishment of a Latvian Television channel in Russian, the Council informed LETA.

 

The channel is to be established in collaboration with Estonia. The estimated costs will be similar to Estonia's calculated costs. The TV3 show "Neka personiga" found out that, according to the National Electronic Mass Media Council's cost estimates, the state will be requested to cover EUR 3 million as of 2016, EUR 5.3 million in 2017, and EUR 5.6 million in 2018. This is significantly more than Estonia's cost estimates, which stipulate EUR 2.5 million for 2015 and EUR 4 million for the coming years. The official cost estimates have not yet been revealed, as the channel's concept is still in development.






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