Journalists' Association Concerned About Transfer of Media Support Fund to NEPLP

The Latvian Journalists' Association (LŽA) categorically opposes the government's proposal to transfer the administration of the Media Support Fund (MAF) from the Society Integration Fund (SIF) to the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP), the LŽA board informed the LETA agency.

In LŽA's view, concentrating media oversight and the allocation of essential state funding for their work in one institution would create risks of political influence, institutional conflicts of interest, and editorial self-censorship. Such a reorganization would affect both media independence and the trust of the entire sector in the objectivity of state support distribution.

The redistribution of SIF programs proposed by the Ministry of Culture (KM) envisages evaluating the transfer of MAF administration to NEPLP, while other support programs would be transferred to ministries and the State Chancellery.

According to LŽA, the removal of the fund's essential functions would mean the actual dismantling of its current operational model. Such changes require clear justification on how they will improve access to support and decision-making independence, and mere references to governance efficiency or depoliticization are not sufficient.

NEPLP already has extensive powers in overseeing electronic media, including content checks, broadcasting permits, and administrative violation processes. Transferring MAF under its control would mean that the institution, which can make unfavorable oversight decisions for the media, would simultaneously administer its opportunities to receive state support for journalism creation. In LŽA's view, these functions must be institutionally separated to reduce media dependence on a single decision-making center.