Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Telecomunications

Andrejs Ekis.

The businessmen explain that their goal is to unite Latvia's independent mass media. The company's multi-channel strategy envisages development of regional television and a TV channel targeted at young people, writes LETA.

"It could be a tandem of five channels – LNT, TV5, Latvian News Channel (Latvijas Zinu kanals, LZK), Latvian Music Channel and Regional Television," said Ekis.

The development of a regional television network is in accord with the National Broadcasting Council's decision to support in principle the organization of a tender for the development of a nationwide regional television channel.

The Latvian News Channel will participate in competition, said Ekis.

Ekis went on to say that investments would be primarily made into human resources development, not equipment, because LNT already has all the necessary equipment, said Ekis.

Traubergs, on the other hand, said that the next step would be acquiring Internet media, and later in the future – radio stations.

"We will call on various media to unite. Probably we could buy some of them," said Traubergs, adding that one of such media could be the Internet portal "Tvnet".

The National Broadcasting Council recently approved in principle a proposal to organize competition for the development of a nationwide regional television, which would be free to watch all over Latvia. The Broadcasting Council estimates that the development of the new TV channel would cost around LVL 200,000, with the state possibly providing some part of the amount.

As already reported, at the beginning of March LNT and TV5 were acquired by NNM from News Corporation.