Lithuanian public broadcaster faces serious political interference risk, warns professor
Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT is under growing threat of political influence, with risks to media independence now at “8 out of 10,” according to Deimantas Jastramskis, a professor at Vilnius University’s Communication Faculty and a member of the LRT Council, LRT.lt reports.
While no direct evidence exists of a coordinated plan by council members to take control of the broadcaster, Jastramskis argues that recent government policy changes and public statements by politicians suggest a deliberate effort to reshape LRT’s editorial direction. “We have no proof of a specific plan, but decisions emerge—like obliging the Internal Audit Service to assess political neutrality, or measuring left-right balance in opinion segments—yet no one openly admits these steps are part of a broader strategy,” he said in an interview with LRT Klassika’s Homo Cultus.
Jastramskis pointed to remarks by lawmakers, including Seimas Culture Committee Chairman Kęstutis Vilkauskas, who claimed in a Žinių Radijas broadcast that LRT had “drifted to the right” and required correction. Similar statements by Seimas Speaker and party leaders, he said, reveal that confidential council decisions are being “broadcast through politicians’ mouths.”
Calls for stronger safeguards
The professor urged reforms to the selection process for LRT’s governing council, emphasizing that members—nominated by institutions like the Education Council, Artists’ Association, or Lithuanian Science Council—must represent public interests, not political or group agendas. Current interpretations, he warned, allow nominees to act as lobbyists for their appointing bodies rather than independent overseers.
“No one wants to discuss this openly,” Jastramskis noted, citing past admissions by a former LRT director-general candidate who described directly soliciting support from nominating organizations as routine. “These bodies appoint public representatives, not interest-group delegates. If the law doesn’t explicitly forbid it, people assume it’s permitted—that’s the problem.”
He proposed clear legal language to prohibit nominating institutions from exerting influence over their appointees, stressing that LRT’s independence hinges on council members acting as neutral public trustees.
Broader concerns over media freedom
Jastramskis’ warnings align with broader debates over media regulation in Lithuania, where public broadcasters in other countries often face stricter safeguards. The current climate, he suggested, risks undermining LRT’s role as an impartial public service provider.
His comments follow recent protests by LRT staff, who have accused the council of overreach and demanded transparency in decision-making. The broadcaster’s logo and offices have become symbols of the dispute, with employees displaying signs reading “Hands off” during council meetings.