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Latvian Television

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(Redirected fromLTV7)
"LTV2" redirects here. For the Lithuanian channel formerly known as LTV2, seeLRT Plius.

Latvijas Televīzija
TypePublic broadcaster
Country
Latvia
AvailabilityLatvia, online
HeadquartersRiga
OwnerGovernment of Latvia
Key people
Ivars Priede (Chairman of the Board)
Launch date
6 November 1954;69 years ago(1954-11-06)
Picture format
1080i(HDTV),SD(some content)
Channels
LTV1
LTV7 (formerly known as LTV2)
Affiliation(s)Public Broadcasting of Latvia
European Broadcasting Union
Official website
ltv.lsm.lv

Latvijas Televīzija(Latvian Television,LTV) is the state-ownedpublic servicetelevisionbroadcaster inLatvia.LTV operates two channels,LTV1inLatvianandLTV7(previously called LTV2) in Latvian with 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 Radioexited theadvertisingmarket.[1]It is currently led by Ivars Priede, the Chairman of the Board.[2]

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 Contestin 2003, as well as theIIHF Men's Ice Hockey Championshipsin 2006 and 2021, and the inauguralEurovision Choir of the Yearcompetition in2017.

LTV1 broadcasts theEurovision Song Contest[3]in Latvia each year, and LTV7 also broadcasts manysportevents such as theOlympics,various Latvian league and national team games, theIce Hockey World Championships(since 2018, extended 2028) and theFIFA World Cup.[4][5]

History

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Origins, 1954 to 1993

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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 anoscilloscopewith the screen size of 45x50cm.[6]There were plans to launch regular broadcasts of "visual radio" by theLatvian Radiophonein the early 1940s, but these were suspended by theoccupation of LatviaandWorld War II.[7]

The first contemporary test broadcasts started on 6 November 1954 from a studio inSovietRiga 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,Āgenskalnswas created to produce its own programming and the first TV tower in Latvia was built.[8]

The Latvian Television building inZaķusala,Riga

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 toSÉCAMcolor in 1974. In 1986, both the Riga TV Tower and the LTV television headquarters inZaķusalawere 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 theLabvakarpolitical talk show (1988–1993). The buildings in Zaķusala were one of the locations defended duringThe Barricades.[9][10]During the1991 Soviet coup d'état attempttroops of theOMONunit seized the LTV building on August 21, suspending broadcasts for two days.[11][7]

1993–2013

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LTV logo, 2006 to 2022.

On 1 January 1993, Latvian Television andRadio Latviabecame members of theEuropean Broadcasting Union(EBU). On 2 February 1998, LTV along withLNT,Channel 31 (nowTV3) andTV Riga(laterTV5) converted toPALcolor. 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.[12]

In 2008, LTV started broadcasting indigital terrestrial TVstandard inMPEG2format, changing toMPEG4format on 1 August 2009 as the telecommunications companyLattelecomhas been chosen to be the official integrator ofdigital terrestrial TVin Latvia.Analoguedistribution 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'sNordic beam as part of theViasatpackage.[citation needed]

Public Broadcasting of Latvia (since 2013)

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Main article:Public Broadcasting of Latvia

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.

LTV changed its aspect ratio from4:3to16:9in 2013.[13]Selected programming such as live broadcast of a staging ofThe Nutcrackerby theLatvian National Operaon LTV1 in 2012[14]and the matches of theIIHF World Championshipson LTV7 (2018–present), were shown in HD.[15]In 2019 a full switch toHDTVbroadcasts 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 (Panorāmaetc.) 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 feefunding 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 theSaeimaunanimously 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 January 1, 2021.[1]

Logos and identities

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LTV1

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  • 1991 to 1997
    1991 to 1997
  • 1997 to 2000
    1997 to 2000
  • 2000 to 2002
    2000 to 2002
  • 2003 to 2006
    2003 to 2006
  • 2006 to 2013
    2006 to 2013
  • 2013 to 2017
    2013 to 2017
  • 2017 to 2022
    2017 to 2022
  • 2022 to present
    2022 to present

LTV7 (formerly LTV2)

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  • 2006 to 2012
    2006 to 2012
  • 2012 to 2021
    2012 to 2021
  • 2021 to present
    2021 to present

Visiem LTV

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  • 2016–2021
    2016–2021

REplay.lv

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  • 2015–2022
    2015–2022

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"Public media exits the advertising market".Public Broadcasting of Latvia.2 January 2021.Retrieved21 January2021.
  2. ^"Latvijas Televīzija arī turpmāk pārraidīs olimpiskās spēles – tiesības iegūtas līdz 2032. gadam".ltv.lsm.lv(in Latvian). 16 January 2023.Retrieved17 January2023.
  3. ^Bakker, Sietse (1 December 2002)."Renars Kaupers and Marie N hosts 2003 show".ESCToday.com.Retrieved16 November2013.
  4. ^"Infront announces multiple global ice hockey deals – SportsPro Media".www.sportspromedia.com.16 May 2017.Retrieved4 September2021.
  5. ^"LTV secures ice hockey World Championship rights".ENG.LSM.LV.25 January 2024.Retrieved25 January2024.
  6. ^"Šodien televīzijai Latvijā 80 gadu. Latvija bija viena no pirmajām pasaules valstīm, kas raidīja savu TV signālu"[Television in Latvia turns 80 this year. Latvia was one of the first countries to broadcast its own TV signal].Sandra Veinberga | Blogs(in Latvian). 10 November 2017.Retrieved7 April2021.
  7. ^ab"televīzija Latvijā"[Television in Latvia].Latvian National Encyclopedia(in Latvian).Retrieved7 April2021.
  8. ^"Vēsture un Fakti / LTV.LV"[History and Facts | LTV].ltv.lsm.lv.Retrieved7 April2021.
  9. ^Zaltāns, Kaspars (8 March 2016)."Latvia's Barricades of Freedom – What Do They Mean 25 Years On?".Deep Baltic.Retrieved7 April2021.
  10. ^"The girl who passed around tea on the Barricades in 1991".Public Broadcasting of Latvia.16 January 2021.Retrieved7 April2021.
  11. ^Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999: Report Submitted to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives and Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate by the Department of State in Accordance with Sections 116(d) and 502B(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended.Vol. 2. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2003. p. 1642.ISBN978-0-16-060670-0.
  12. ^"LTV2 уступил место LTV7".Business & Baltija. Latvija.5 December 2002. Archived fromthe originalon 23 December 2017.Retrieved26 March2024.
  13. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctw_jFyYrnkLTV1 maina attēla malu attiecību uz 16:9. ltvpanorama on YouTube.
  14. ^"Baleta" Riekstkodis "translācija – pirmā LTV tiešraide augstas izšķirtspējas kvalitātē (First-ever LTV live broadcast in HD – ballet" The Nutcracker ")".LSM.lv(in Latvian). 17 December 2012.Retrieved20 January2019.
  15. ^"Lattelecom and Latvian Television gain exclusive six-year broadcast rights in Latvia to the IIIHF Ice Hockey World Championship | lattelecom.lv".www.lattelecom.lv.16 May 2017.Retrieved20 January2019.
  16. ^"Salipinātā sistēma, dārgā lībiešu sēta un sniega pika vēlās ilgi…" LA "nedēļas apskats".LA.lv(in Latvian). 7 January 2019.Retrieved20 January2019.
  17. ^"LTV pārejai uz augstas izšķirtspējas apraidi nepieciešami aptuveni astoņi miljoni eiro (Switching to high-definition broadcasts for LTV requires approx. 8 million Euro)".Diena(in Latvian). 2 August 2017.Retrieved20 January2019.
  18. ^"Apstiprina LTV un LR 2017. gada pārskatus".neplpadome.lv(in Latvian). 2 August 2017.Retrieved20 January2019.
  19. ^"Latvian Television switches to HD resolution".Lsm.lv.19 May 2021.Retrieved4 September2021.
  20. ^"Latvian pubcaster begins HD switch".Broadband TV News.20 May 2021.Retrieved4 September2021.
  21. ^"Latvian Television unveils new setup".Lsm.lv.30 August 2021.Retrieved4 September2021.
  22. ^"VISIEMLTV.LV – jauns interneta televīzijas kanāls latviešiem ārzemēs".
  23. ^"No ads on public media starting 2021, parliament says".eng.lsm.lv.20 June 2018.Retrieved21 January2021.
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