This Sunday, November 3, Latvian Television (LTV) will start the celebrations for its 70th anniversary. At the same time, it is preparing for the merger with the public radio LR to form a new public service media broadcaster from next year.

At the Heart of Europe TV Festival in Warsaw, LTV's Program Director Jana Semjonova talked to Yako Molhov about the upcoming changes and how they will improve the multi-platform offer of the pubcaster.


Jana, you are the Program Director at Latvian public broadcaster LTV. How would you describe the Latvian TV market which literally has two big players, LTV and TV3, and many smaller ones?

Despite of the fact that the local TV market is small, it’s still very competitive and diverse. It is true that big players are two and then comes smaller ones, but they all are looking for the best local and international content, looking for the best talents and storytellers. Local and original programming plays crucial role to gain the interest of the audience, so everyone is delivering the best possible, seeking for new formats, new approaches if needed. Habits and preferences of the audience are changing, so if you want to be successful in this market you have to adapt to the needs of audience and at the same time “keep your face” which for LTV means - values, mission, quality over quantity, trustworthy content.


What are the specifics in terms of how Latvians consume content nowadays and are the trends similar to the rest of the world?

The trends are same everywhere, I think. Within new technologies and possibilities what they bring to us, we all live in a global village, and we all are familiar with same titles, same ways of consumption. On one hand, consumption is very fragmented and personalized, the impact of streaming services and mobile viewing increases, so it’s common in every country. On the other hand, still there is huge need for local content, which is specific, based on common ground, history, lifestyle etc. Sharing experiences is very effective tool to engage the audience.


What will be the main highlights in LTV's fall TV season and early 2025? You are celebrating your 70th anniversary, have you prepared many surprises for your viewers?

As part of the anniversary season, we are even more aware of our roots, our value, our mission. You need a solid foundation to fly. That's why we've kept our core programming, which has proven its capability and potential over the years. We've made several internal changes to long-standing projects and are working a lot on projects that will be visible in the coming year. The emphasis of the anniversary season is all about our country, our culture, history, science etc. New documentaries, new entertainment show. Happy that our youth and teen platforms are spreading their wings more and more, creating more and more diverse and engaging content.


LTV was recently ranked among the Top Latvian Brands. What are the factors behind the popularity of Latvia's pubcaster which is also usually on top of the monthly audience charts?

It is obvious that LTV plays an important role in Latvian society - both as a media organization and as a cultural organization. Our role in providing the public with news, information, cultural and other content is essential. Diverse and high-quality content appeals to the broad audience with varying interests and preferences. We are both praised and criticized which means only one thing - we and our content still have meaning, influence, relevance. And of course, behind every success is a dedicated and professional team. Team is everything.


LTV and Latvian Radio (LR) will merge into one company - Latvian Public Media, by the end of the year. Will it be better funded and how will this affect your programming and content strategies?

Yes, the new PSM organization will be better financed and development priorities are clearly defined. Digital and technological development is essential, we are well behind in this field. Also, after silence for several years, we will re-start the production of series. That’s really big for us. And of course, there are many initiatives in the digital environment, digital content. In this field we have a lot in common with radio.


What will be the benefits of the new public media service for the Latvian society?

Being in one organization, especially during the digital era, is a way how to create stronger and more impactful entity. It is not only about efficiency, but also about collaboration and coordination, increased audience reach and impact, stronger programming and content offering, common strategic focus. I’d say it is about joining the forces to serve the public even better.


What are your plans for the digital segment in terms of strategy and content, including LSM and REplay in particular? Neighboring LRT and ERR have developed strong on-demand platforms, are you planning to move in that direction as well?

Definitely. We are learning from our colleagues a lot. The development of a VOD platform is one of the priorities but it is too early to open up about the definite concept.


At Heart of Europe 2022 you shared that you were working with Lithuania and Estonia on seeking opportunities and options to create Baltic content. What have been your latest initiatives with LRT and ERR, are you working on or planning any co-productions?

We are in the process to make some content together. As we are in a different situation of developing and producing fiction series, the first projects are going to be less demanding regarding commissioning, budgets and synchronizing needs. I hope that fall 2025 will be the time when we can present our first joint project and it is a cultural program.


What about partnerships with broadcasters/producers from other countries in CEE?

For now, there is nothing concrete, but we are already intensively aware of the situation, getting to know our colleagues, industry professionals, organizational concepts and various projects. This region has a large potential and developing rapidly. It's really a matter of our potential investment and time.


Baltic broadcasters, both public and commercial, have been strongly supporting Ukraine. What have been LTV's latest initiatives in this respect? Are you planning any co-productions with Ukrainian broadcasters?

Ukraine is an integral part of our daily life and content. Just on August 24, together with Latvijas Radio, we launched a several-week long charity campaign, within the framework of which content about Ukraine was the central axis of the media. Our journalists work in Ukraine, we cooperate with Ukrainian journalists and filmmakers who create content. We cooperate more in terms of content acquisitions. As already mentioned, in terms of co-productions, our options were at a minimum, but I sincerely hope that this will change.


You are a member of Heart of Europe 2024's Fiction Series jury. How would you rate the nominations this year, what will be your major criteria when evaluating the entries and what are your observations about the scripted market in CEE?

The CEE region and its TV drama output are incredibly diverse. I would like to note the very high production quality, good storytelling. One unifying element I’d say is that CEE creators excel at exploring their history, identity, and cultural heritage and turning them into strong TV narratives. So, on the one hand, it's a very specific story in a particular country, but on the other hand, a powerful, well-told story always has a universal appeal.