.svg) | |
| Type | Public broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | Latvia, online |
| Headquarters | Riga |
| Owner | LSM |
Launch date | 6 November 1954; 71 years ago (1954-11-06) |
Picture format | 1080i (HDTV),SD (some content) |
Channels | LTV1 LTV7 (formerly known as LTV2) |
| Affiliation | European Broadcasting Union |
Official website | ltv |
Latvijas Televīzija (Latvian Television, LTV) is the state-ownedpublic servicetelevision broadcaster inLatvia and a part of thePublic Broadcasting of Latvia organization. LTV operates two channels:LTV1 inLatvian andLTV7 (previously called LTV2) in Latvian, which until 2025 featured selected programming inRussian.
The broadcaster has been fully funded by the state budget since 1 January 2021, when, after years of debate, it and radio broadcasterLatvijas Radio exited theadvertising market.[1]
LTV is a member of theEuropean Broadcasting Union, having joined on 1 January 1993. From the restoration of independence in 1991 to 31 December 1992, it was a member of theInternational Radio and Television Organisation (OIRT). LTV hosted the annualEurovision Song Contest in 2003, as well as theIIHF Men's Ice Hockey Championships in 2006 and 2021, and the inauguralEurovision Choir of the Year competition in2017.
LTV1 broadcasts theEurovision Song Contest[2] in Latvia each year, and LTV7 also broadcasts manysport events such as theOlympics, various Latvian league and national team games, theIce Hockey World Championships (since 2018, extended 2028) and theFIFA World Cup.[3][4]
The first experimental broadcast of television in Latvia took place on 10 November 1937 at the Latvian Radio Society (Latvian:Latvijas Radio biedrība) during a public viewing inRiga, using anoscilloscope with the screen size of 45x50cm.[5] There were plans to launch regular broadcasts of "visual radio" by theLatvian Radiophone in the early 1940s, but these were suspended by theoccupation of Latvia andWorld War II.[6]
The first contemporary test broadcasts started on 6 November 1954 from a studio inSoviet Riga inblack-and-white, which were seen by the 20 owners of personal television sets. It is the first and oldest national television station in theBaltic countries. Regular broadcasting started on 20 November 1954. At the beginning, LTV did not have rights to create their own programming except live shows. In 1955, the Riga Television studio in Nometņu iela,Āgenskalns was created to produce its own programming and the first TV tower in Latvia was built.[7]
On 19 March 1958, the first evening news show went on the air - this is considered to be the founding date of the LTV News Service (LTV Ziņu dienests [lv]. In 1963, it was renamedPanorāma, as it is known to this day. A second TV channel was launched in 1961 and both channels converted toSÉCAM color in 1974. In 1986, both the Riga TV Tower and the LTV television headquarters inZaķusala were officially completed.[citation needed]
During theThird Latvian National Awakening, the broadcaster became more open toGlasnost-style freedom of expression and criticism of Soviet rule in Latvia, most notably in the form of theLabvakar political talk show (1988–1993). The buildings in Zaķusala were one of the locations defended duringThe Barricades.[8][9] During the1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt troops of theOMON unit seized the LTV building on August 21, suspending broadcasts for two days.[10][6]
On 1 January 1993, Latvian Television andRadio Latvia became members of theEuropean Broadcasting Union (EBU). On 2 February 1998, LTV along withLNT, Channel 31 (nowTV3) andTV Riga (laterTV5) converted toPAL color. In 2003, LTV2, the second channel, was rebranded as LTV7. The 7 was due to the initial slogan of the renamed service, "Because every day is like a holiday", which was coupled with its new programming concept, content and higher advertising rates.[11]
In 2008, LTV started broadcasting indigital terrestrial TV standard inMPEG2 format, changing toMPEG4 format on 1 August 2009 as the telecommunications companyLattelecom has been chosen to be the official integrator ofdigital terrestrial TV in Latvia.Analogue distribution of LTV7 finished on 1 March 2010. LTV completely finished broadcasting LTV1 in analogue format on 1 July 2010. Both LTV channels are also available on theSirius satellite's Nordic beam as part of theViasat package.[citation needed]
Since 2013, LTV has come under the umbrella ofPublic Broadcasting of Latvia (Latvian:Latvijas Sabiedriskie mediji, LSM) along withLatvian Radio, as part of the unification process of both public broadcasters. LTV and Radio Latvia now share one news portal,LSM.lv, and an online streaming service (REplay.lv), with content from both broadcasters. A third channel withEesti Televisioon was planned, with programming in the Russian language, in 2015.[12]
LTV changed its aspect ratio from4:3 to16:9 in 2013 (LTV7 did in 2012, doing2012 Summer Olympics).[13] Selected programming such as live broadcast of a staging ofThe Nutcracker by theLatvian National Opera on LTV1 in 2012[14] and the matches of theIIHF World Championships on LTV7 (2018–present), were shown in HD.[15] In 2019 a full switch toHDTV broadcasts was announced for 2021 or 2022,[16] although delayed in previous years due to financial constraints.[17][18] After upgrading their broadcasting technology, both TV channels and content on the REplay.lv and LSM began a gradual switch toFull HD (1080p) on 19 May 2021 for cable and online broadcasts (the switch for free terrestrial operators is scheduled for 2022).[19][20] The LTV News Service programs (Panorāma etc.) marked their switch to 1080p on August 30 by unveiling a new studio and visuals.[21]
In 2016, LTV launched the online channelVisiem LTV ('LTV to all', also styled VISIEMLTV.LV) for foreign viewers, mostly targeted for theLatvian diaspora. The programming is a mix of LTV1 and LTV7 broadcasts that are not restricted by copyright laws and are available globally.[22]
Until 2021, the broadcaster was funded by grant-in-aid from theLatvian government (around 60%), with the remainder coming from television commercials. Although moving LTV tolicence fee funding was long been debated, this was often opposed by the government, with media analysts believing that the real reason for this is that the government is reluctant to lose the control of LTV that state-funding gives it.[citation needed]After years of debate, in June 2018 theSaeima unanimously voted to amend legislation allowing the public broadcaster to exit the advertising market and be fully funded by the state budget.[23] In 2020 the necessary funding was earmarked by theGovernment of Latvia, with Latvijas Televīzija and Latvijas Radio exiting the ad market effective 1 January 2021.[1]
The merger of LTV and Latvian Radio into LSM was completed on 2 January 2025[24]
Media related toLatvian Television at Wikimedia Commons| LSM | |
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| TV3 Group (Providence/Bitė) | |
| Helio Media (Tet) |
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| Duo Media Networks (Postimees/MM Grupp) |
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| Others |
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| Defunct | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
