People in Ludza receive information about what is happening in the region via the internet, but for older people who do not use the internet, or it is simply not available in certain areas, information is exchanged, as they say, by word of mouth, or by posting notices on bulletin boards in towns and parish centers.
Rita Trukšane, librarian of Cibla parish, noted that for the elderly the newspaper was a source of information about what was happening in the municipality - cultural events, decisions of the municipality, as well as advertising.
"More people used "Ludzas Zeme" on the spot in the library, because we don't deliver it to their homes. People were more interested in the last page, where there were advertisements about what was for sale, what was being bought. When the cold weather comes, they are interested in who sells firewood. Other people find out who is dead, condolences. Older people are not on the internet, they don't use it. So for many it is important," said Trukšane.
In Zilupe, where mostly Russian-speaking residents live, there is practically no information about what is going on in the municipality lately, confirms a local resident.
"There is practically no local information. It is bad without a newspaper because that is where we get our information. Now there is no place to advertise and, most importantly, no more news from the municipality. It is clear that there is no information from Ludza municipality in the big newspapers. Our pensioners, who used to subscribe to the newspaper, are having a hard time. People in their old age who could not buy this expensive newspaper could read it in the library. Now they don't have this possibility and there is nowhere to get information."
There has long been talk of strengthening the regional press to ensure that independent journalism continues to exist in the regions and that information voids do not form.
For the time being, regional newspapers are holding their own by taking part in various projects and using the money to pay journalists' salaries, and printing and distribution costs. However, as media expert Ingemārs Vekteris pointed out, for regional newspapers to survive, the process of digitization is inevitable, either by creating their own digital platforms or by several media merging and producing information for a much wider range of consumers.
"Over the last two or three years, the consumption of information on social media has been growing very rapidly. Social media is not a place where an editorially independent media outlet can make very good money. We also understand that the evolution of the business environment requires quite tough decisions - like merging media, digitizing work. We will also be talking about artificial intelligence very soon, and those local media need to be pushed and supported, because the market is small and getting smaller, the giants are taking more and more money, but the medium has to survive. And the media is a matter of national security, after all. Business is business, but if there is no media on the border, there will still be information on the border, but the question is who will produce it and for what purpose," Vekteris said.
As Edgars Mekšs, Chairman of the Ludza Regional Council, pointed out, two options are currently being discussed with the deputies: either to renew the municipality's newsletter, which can cost the municipality up to €100,000 per year, or to announce a tender for the placement of municipal information in one of the regional newspapers.
"An alternative option would be to publish a municipal newsletter, as other municipalities do. This newsletter will be published once a month and the law also regulates what information could be included.
"But when I talk to people, they want to see, as in a regional newspaper, a television program, obituaries, advertising and many things that the municipality cannot afford because the law forbids it. At the moment, we put information on the website, on social networks. We have signed contracts with radio Ef-Ei, Latgales Radio, of course, we can also consider continuing cooperation with commercial publications. We will try to announce a tender, and if someone comes forward, then residents will be able to subscribe to these newspapers and receive more information about the municipality."