Latvian lawmakers back keeping LTV and Latvijas Radio brands

Latvia’s parliamentary Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee on Wednesday backed fast-tracking amendments to preserve the historic brands of Latvian Television (LTV) and Latvijas Radio, LSM reported. It will address a proposed ban on merging the broadcasters’ news departments in a separate bill.

The committee partially backed wording proposed by the Saeima Legal Bureau, with a clarification that the broadcasters’ logos could change over time. The text would require Latvian Public Media to retain and use the historic names “Latvijas Radio” and “Latvijas Televīzija”, their abbreviations, logos and trademarks in its editorial work and public communications, including when providing services. It would allow exceptions for new programmes and services.

The Legal Bureau’s version condensed the earlier draft and removed terms that had raised concerns among some media employees and the Public Electronic Mass Media Council, the broadcaster’s supervisory body. LSM staff who had raised concerns approved the revised proposal, and the council no longer called for the amendments to lose their fast-track status.

Committee members differed over keeping the news departments separate. Some said two departments would ensure a wider range of viewpoints, while others questioned how far lawmakers should intervene in a media organisation’s work.