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On 8 November 2016, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers approved Basic Principles of the Latvian Media Policy (the Principles), a new policy document providing the general targets and tasks for media policy within the years 2016 to 2020. The Ministry of Culture will have to prepare an interim assessment of the fulfilment of the Principles by 1 July 2018 and submit it to the Cabinet of Ministers. The Principles are a policy-planning document, which sets the basic principles of Latvian media policy, its targets, priorities and tasks to be accomplished within this period. Various public institutions,...

On 7 April 2016, the Nacionālā elektronisko plašsaziņas līdzekļu padome (National Electronic Mass Media Council), the national regulatory authority (the Council) adopted a decision to suspend the retransmission of the TV channel Rossija RTR for a period of 6 months. The suspension duty applies to all retransmission operators; to cable and satellite operators, as well as to Internet television providers. The decision is based on Section 19, part 5, paragraph 1 of the Latvian Electronic Mass Media Law (EMML), which provides that the Council generally ensures the freedom of retransmission of broadcasts...

On 19 January 2016, new amendments to the Latvian Electronic Mass Media Law (EMML) came into force. The amendments have been adopted by Saeima (the Latvian Parliament) on 17 December 2015. The amendments are substantial, as they introduce new concepts in the EMML, supplement the list of must-carry provisions, and supplement the conditions on which the Latvian regulatory authorities may suspend broadcasts and on-demand services from other countries, including European Union countries. Among the newly introduced concepts the most important is the “service of the distribution of television programmes”,...

On 23 October 2014 Saeima (the Latvian Parliament) adopted amendments to the Electronic Media Law which changed the language requirements for radio programmes, as well as it increased the power of the national regulatory authority: the Electronic Mass Media Council. With respect to languages of radio programmes the amendments provide that now the radio stations may choose if their programmes will be in Latvian or in a foreign language. If the programme will be in a foreign language, then there is no translation required, thus in this sense the regulation is even more liberal than before. Before...

On 24 April 2014, the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament) has adopted amendments to the Electronic Media Law. The amendments clarify the criteria for the status of national electronic mass media, modify the conditions on which a broadcasting permit may be revoked, extend the period for storing the records of broadcasts and provide for other minor changes. The amendments introduce a rule that an electronic mass medium will be considered as national, if it reaches at least 60% of inhabitants of Latvia or if it reaches the largest portion of the territory of Latvia. Previously only the territorial criterion...