Committee backs legal protection for Latvian Radio and TV names

Latvia’s parliamentary Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee on Wednesday backed amendments to preserve the names of Latvian Radio and Latvian Television in law, LSM reported.

The proposed changes to the Public Electronic Mass Media and Their Management Law would recognise the two names as historically significant parts of Latvia’s public media identity. They would require Latvian Public Media to preserve those identities in public communications, programme distribution, editorial work, digital platforms, institutional representation and other forms of informing the public.

The amendments were submitted by lawmakers. The committee plans to ask for them to be treated as urgent and considered at the Saeima’s sitting on October 15.

Latvian Radio has broadcast since November 1, 1925, and Latvian Television since November 6, 1954. The two organisations were combined into one public media outlet from January 1, 2025, following changes to the law adopted by the Saeima in January 2024.