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EDITORIAL
Dear
Reader:
More than three years have passed since the first issue
of the Mass Media Law and Practice newsletter reached its
audience of journalists, media scholars, and all others
interested in media law and its applicability in the
Baltics. The first issue briefly described the
media landscape, regulated by media law. Since
1995, mass media in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia has
undergone significant changes. Thus, the first
article of this issue provides an update on the
developments in newspapers, magazines, and broadcasting
organizations in all three countries.
The second article deals with the draft laws and
amendments submitted by various Lithuanian groups to
amend mass media and public broadcasting laws.
These proposals introduce license fees and reform
licensing policies regarding the private broadcasting
sector.
The third article provides an analysis of mass media
regulation during the election campaigns in Lithuania and
Estonia, although election has been held in Latvia as
well.
Electronic mass media, and especially cable television,
is dependent on the owner of national Telecoms. In
all the Baltic countries, Scandinavian companies have a
majority or at least are heavily involved in the
ownership of the local telecommunication companies.
Privatization of these monopolies in the
telecommunication sector thus has an impact on the laws,
which sometimes were written to help attract strategic
investors.
Lithuania is likely the best example of the clash between
the interests of the big foreign investor and those of
the small local cable enterprises. Because this
clash is highly controversial and has sparks intense
debate, we provided the text of the new Law on
Telecommunications, so that you can analyze and draw your
own conclusions accordingly. This statute is
accompanied by the opinion of the Association of Cable
Television Operators of Lithuania
The Editor
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