Latvia media guide

The Dome cathedral in Riga, LatviaGetty Images

Latvia's media scene is diverse, but reflects the division of society into Latvian- and Russian-speaking audiences.

Ownership of the most popular media outlets is highly concentrated. The print media have lost readers to online outlets.

Television is the most popular platform, although viewing figures are declining. TV and the sector is dominated by the top commercial station TV3 and two public networks

International watchdogs rate the media environment as free, but point to difficulties in accessing trustworthy information in Russian.

The invasion of Ukraine led to the blocking of dozens of Russian media outlets in Latvia.

However the presence of a large Russian-speaking community means the country remains vulnerable to Kremlin disinformation and other forms of information aggression.

Some Russian outlets have moved to Latvia in search of media freedom but liberal-leaning Dozhd TV's broadcasting licence in Latvia was withdrawn.

Public Latvian Radio (LR) dominates the radio market, thanks partly to the popularity of music station Radio 2. Public radio and TV are financed by state subsidies and advertising.

The BBC World Service in English is relayed in Riga on 100.5 FM.

There were 1.6 million internet users by December 2021, comprising 88% of the population (Worldinternetstats.com). Latvian social network Draugiem.lv rivals Facebook in popularity.

Inbox.lv portal, offering email, dating and photo services, is one of the most-visited sites.

Press

Television

Radio

News agencies/online

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