Public Broadcasting of Latvia

Public Broadcasting of Latvia

Company type	Public service broadcasting and news portal
Industry	Mass media
Founded	3 February 2013; 11 years ago (2013-02-03)
Headquarters	Riga , Latvia
Area served	International (primarily Latvia)
Products	Broadcasting Radio Web portals
Services	Television Radio
Owner	Government of Latvia
Website	http://www.lsm.lv/

Public Broadcasting of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas sabiedriskais medijs, lit. 'Latvian Public Media' – LSM) is a publicly funded radio and television organization operated by both of Latvia's public broadcasters – Latvian Television and Radio Latvia. LSM provides news, analysis, culture, entertainment and new experimental content, produced mainly by Latvian Television and Radio Latvia, and by the portal’s editorial personnel. The site was launched on 3 February 2013.^[1] LSM content is also available in Russian and English.^[2] News content in English was made available from 1 July 2014.^[3]

A unified news portal was one of the steps planned in a much wider convergence of both public broadcasters. In 2012, Latvia’s National Electronic Media Council (NEMC or NEPLP) approved the concept of creating a new Latvian public service media organization.^[4]

NEMC members had to decide from 3 different scenarios:

• partial convergence (institutional independence, but both media to engage in joint projects);
• full convergence with a single board and management;
• new single, minimal media (new structure itself would only produce news and current affairs programmes).

NEMC chose the second proposal, and approved its realization, including a unified internet platform as a new Latvian public service media, on 7 January 2013.^[5]