Jakilaitis tops Lithuania’s most influential media figures

Journalist Edmundas Jakilaitis is considered Lithuania’s most influential media figure by both the public and the country’s elite, according to poll results published by news portal Delfi on Wednesday, LRT reported. LRT director-general Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė and journalist Rita Miliūtė also rank among the top three.

The combined ranking, based on surveys of the public and of experts, politicians and civil servants, places commentator Rimvydas Valatka fourth. He is followed by Šarūnas Černiauskas, head of the investigative journalism centre Siena; Birutė Davidonytė, head of the Association of Professional Journalists; Verslo žinios editor-in-chief Rolandas Barysas; LRT current affairs presenter Nemira Pumprickaitė; journalist Daiva Žeimytė-Bilienė; and Indrė Makaraitytė, head of LRT’s investigations department.

In the elite survey, Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė ranked second, followed by Miliūtė, Valatka, Černiauskas, Barysas, Davidonytė, 15min head Tomas Balžekas, 15min editor-in-chief Vaidotas Beniušis and Žinių radijas presenter Aurimas Perednis.

In the public survey, Miliūtė placed second, followed by Valatka, Žeimytė-Bilienė, Pumprickaitė, LNK presenter Rūta Mikelkevičiūtė, LRT news presenter Eglė Bučelytė, Černiauskas, Davidonytė and LRT television presenter Rasa Tapinienė.

Market and public opinion research company Spinter tyrimai surveyed 1,017 people aged 18 to 75 across Lithuania from July 18 to 25. Reitingai magazine conducted the survey of 1,145 experts, politicians and civil servants for Delfi from July 9 to September 1. Respondents in both surveys ranked Jakilaitis first.

Delfi has compiled its ranking of Lithuania’s most influential people for 12 years.