All public media content in languages other than Latvian – stories in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish – will now be grouped in one place.
In an effort to expand the amount of content available in other languages, Latvian Television has created a new brand, LSM+, which includes the existing RUS.LSM content for minorities, which provides content in Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish, as well as ENG.LSM content.
The "+" sign added to the LSM brand "symbolizes the added value of the public media portal - rich and varied content in different languages available to everyone without restrictions", according to the official statement.
"The aim and task of the public media portal is, inter alia, to ensure effective and targeted communication with foreigners. The project aims to provide the Latvian audience of minorities with a purposeful and efficient service, to keep them in the Latvian information space by providing reliable and diversified information quickly and easily.
"So far, the most content for non-native speakers has been produced in Russian and English. With these changes, we are purposefully expanding our offer in other languages by attracting journalists and editors who are not only able to produce content in Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish but are also familiar with the Latvian environment and society, which is essential to ensure the high quality of the content produced by the public media," says Ivars Priede, Chairman of the Board of Latvian Television.
"Readers will notice that the content in Belarusian and Polish is currently less available on the portal than in other languages, but we are determined to meet the challenges of attracting authors and translating the content so that the interested public can get more and more up-to-date and reliable information. In addition, LSM+ opens up opportunities for the public service media to add content in other languages to the existing family of languages," adds Priede.
The LSM public service media portal was launched in 2013.
