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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...

The Nacionālā elektronisko plašsaziņas līdzekļu padome (National Electronic Mass Media Council), the national regulatory authority, has been recently exploring legal options for limiting retransmission of certain television broadcasts, which might be contrary to Latvian and EU law. Within the context of the Ukraine and Crimea crisis, the Council has received numerous complaints that several Russian language television channels contain broadcasts, which allegedly promote war and military conflict, as well as include incitement to hatred and destruction of the territorial unity of countries. Also,...

On 21 November 2013, Saeima (Latvian Parliament) adopted changes to the Electronic Media Law. The main reason for the changes was the fact that the two major Latvian commercial television stations LNT and TV3 (both owned by MTG group) had decided to leave free-to-air broadcasting as of 1 January 2014 and to be henceforth available via paid television only. In turn, this meant that in the primary terrestrial television distribution network (first multiplex) vacant channel slots would open. It was planned that the National Electronic Media Council (media regulating body - hereinafter Council) should...