Latvian media watchdog finds fault with public broadcaster's storm coverage

Latvia's Public Electronic Mass Media Council (SEPLP) has found fault with the Latvian Public Media (LSM) for its inadequate and untimely coverage of a recent storm that left many residents without power and communication. During the crisis, radio broadcasts were a crucial source of information for a significant portion of the population.

SEPLP noted that the shortcomings in public information stemmed from editorial decisions, which are not the direct responsibility of the LSM board. However, the council acknowledged that the LSM board acted promptly within its competencies over the weekend, ensuring service continuity and coordinating efforts to address the storm's damage across the country.

Following a review of explanations provided by the LSM board, SEPLP has decided to revise and update various processes related to editorial decision-making. The goal is to prevent similar situations from recurring. The council has instructed the LSM board to assess the actions of officials responsible for operational continuity and fulfilling the public service mandate during the storm.

Furthermore, the LSM board must update internal regulations, including job descriptions, by December 1 to ensure business continuity and preparedness for such events. This includes establishing clear procedures for making editorial decisions when physical infrastructure is operational but communication outages prevent access to key personnel. SEPLP also emphasized the need for LSM to test its readiness through drills.