Saeimas commission urges LSM to clarify crisis responsibilities

Latvia’s public media organisation LSM must clarify the division of responsibilities and improve information exchange with state institutions during heightened threats and civil protection crises, the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Commission concluded, LSM reported.

The commission was convened after criticism of LSM’s work during a recent storm. An LSM review also found that the news coverage provided by Latvijas Radio was insufficient for the scale of the situation.

The commission sought to establish how responsibilities were divided during the storm, who decided to change programming, and how information was exchanged within LSM and with state institutions.

LSM News Service head Uģis Lībietis resigned, taking responsibility for the organisation’s response. LSM chief editor Anita Brauna and Latvijas Radio News Service chief editor Zane Eniņa received reprimands for inappropriate professional conduct.

Commission chair Inese Lībiņa-Egnere of New Unity said at the start of the meeting that its purpose was not to find and punish one or two people responsible.

The National Electronic Mass Media Council concluded that LSM’s operations had continued without interruption, with no LSM workplace forced to stop operating because of the storm. It also found that the public media organisation had not breached its statutory duties to inform the public during emergencies.

Council chair Sanita Upleja-Jegermane rejected initial claims that Latvijas Radio had broadcast only music throughout the storm and provided no information.