All About Latvia

“There is a minimal level of education and knowledge, outside of which any election becomes its own caricature. You don’t just need rudimentary literacy, which allows a man .. to spell his name. Here, one needs understanding of the election process and platforms provided, smart evaluation of the candidates, understanding of the government and economy of the country and its needs, of an idea of the political, international, and military dangers; and of course the communion with the credible sources of information.”

– Ivan Ilyin, a Russian religious and political philosopher.

RIGA – The recent developments in the media market in Latvia force one to conclude that the Fox News-style of journalism has arrived. With elections being only two months away, it sends a frightening signal to quality in-depth journalism.

First, the recent changes in the management of the bastion of independent journalism, Diena, is an example of someone’s cynical play. Ever since it came to existence in 1990, Diena had been an elite newspaper that pushed the politicians to answer tough questions and served proudly Latvia’s citizenry. It was, in its own way, a true voice of the people. After the last year’s change in ownership and the most recent change in editorial staff, the new editorial team announced they’d be looking for new journalists among the 19- to 22-year-olds with no experience in craft. Last weekend, the assistant editor Dzintars Zaļūksnis held training exercises with the young people. As someone who had worked in the Riga city council’s public relations department as late as June, he’d know what to teach young journalists. As a test exercise, he has sent out the young people to go look for news on the street. From a prestigious newspaper, the new class would turn it into a training college paper. The former influencer in policy making is either starting from scratch or digging itself a grave.

The farcical comedy show on LNT

Second, the Latvia’s second most watched TV channel is staging a series of “public debates” on important issues. “Latvia We are Listening” could be a good thing. Don’t jump to your conclusions until you consider the new owner’s political connections to the old new kids on the block: Par Labu Latviju (For Good Latvia, or PLL).

As Harry Callan said last week:

On last night’s show, of the panel of ten people giving their opinions about agriculture, most had either direct or indirect links to PLL. The lopsided nature of the debate would almost have been understandable had the participants actually declared their interests at the start of the show — but they did not. As a result what we got was a party political broadcast masquerading as a debate.

Participants included LNT director Andrejs Ēķis. Ēķis is a prominent supporter of PLL. His name is often linked with that of PLL co-leader Andris Šķēle in connection with the so-called “Digitālgeita” investigation which involves allegations of huge fraud using offshore companies in the way Latvia switched to digital TV. Both Ēķis and Šķēle deny any wrongdoing. The investigation continues. Ēķis had his assets frozen in March.

Ripped off a page from the O’Reilly Factor, the program took place in the “No Politics Zone.” Yesterday’s show included a deeply thought-provoking question: “Are forests our national treasure?” (pictured) Clearly the show – and that was the show – intended to reach into the hearts of the viewers, reaching into their feeling as victims of the big bad world out there. Under the pretenses of being fair and balanced, the television show showed stories of people who lost their jobs in the forest industry and who ended up fighting with banks and large corporations. It also points out that the government chose to rescue Parex, instead of helping those people. As the grim voice accused the government of apathy, it showed the current minister of economics, Artis Kampars from the New Era party, rather than the true face of the Parex takeover, Atis Slakteris, then-finance minister, from the People’s Party, which is now part of the PLL.

The show clearly targets the lowest intellectual common denominator, a person who spent the last five years in the basement of his mother’s house, reading the conspiracy theory literature.

Which brings me to my guilty pleasure on the media market: Neatkarīga Rīta Avīze (Independent Morning Newspaper). Under its straightforward name, the newspaper serves as a window to the soul of Aivars Lembergs, the mayor of Ventspils. It is not clear exactly who or what owns the newspaper, but it often is used as a platform for the mayor of Ventspils to deliver fatwas on the leaders of the government or the international lenders.

In a recent interview, Lembergs said that Latvia state-owned energy and railroad companies along with the forestry company will be sold off to an “international oligarchy” immediately after the elections. It offered a glimpse into his own mind.

The well-designed newspaper provides also provides a glimpse into the world of conspiracy theories and serves as a fascinating overview of what methods certain individuals use to get to the power. It often bashes the Sorosistas, incorruptible journalists along with the members of the local chapter of the Transparency International.

With the education system in ruins, the public appears to be getting dumber and dumber. The coverage is getting angrier, forcing one to suspect that the upcoming elections will be but a farce. The population unable or unwilling to think, to deduce, to reason is much easier to manipulate. It is much easier to persuade them of imagined enemies, imagined problems. It is much easier to exert control. Taking over railroads, telegraph and post office was the task number one of the Bolsheviks coup in 1917. What comes next?