Operating two of the main free-to-air and most-watched channels in Latvia, Latvian Television (LTV) is a state-owned public service television broadcaster that operates two generalists, but with a different focus, channels LTV2 and LTV7. About the market share and the programming seeks in the international, Zane Valeniece, Head of Acquisitions, talked with Prensario regarding the company’s participation in global TV markets.
‘Latvian Television is most watched in Latvia, and I think for the public media, it’s very important to be leaders that the audience trusts in us. And our mission, as buyers of course, is to bring the best programs that we can to more audiences. Specifically in animation, which is one of our current needs’, explained Valeniece.
Regarding themes in content, LTV is looking for programs that involve imagination, good feelings, good behaviors, and values, like values about friendships, about family. ‘Titles with educational elements that include entertainment, with a touch of adventure. So this is kind the key points that I’m looking for in the shows. And what the program would say with his message. What the show wants to tell the kids and what we can say with this message’.
The LTV channels have a strong emphasis on education and information, even last year, the most-watched channel of consolidated TV in July 2022 was Latvian Television’s first program LTV1, which had a share of 11.7% of viewing time. The second most-watched channel was TV3, whose viewing time share in last July was 10.3%. On the other hand, the third most-watched channel was TV3 Life, which was watched by 3.9% of the total TV viewing time, according to Kantar data.
Valeniece commented that broadcaster mostly works with finished programs, however the co-production model it’s still something they are trying to understand, due to the scheme: ‘That’s the other reason why we are attending markets, to understand the best way to do with this type of alliances, because it’s not easy when you are a small public broadcaster and beyond that, the language frontier’.
Regarding original production, LTV works a lot on live-action titles for kids and pre-schoolers: ‘We make one or two projects per year. So it’s not like a huge amount for them. The space dedicated to this audience is on weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, it’s like four hours. So when I have to build these slots, with the acquisitions, I’m looking around the world for the best shows that can fit public television and mostly they’re focusing on preschoolers, upper preschool, and older kids’.
Regarding content in the digital space, the executive explained that LTV works a lot on the additional and complementary content of its linear grid: ‘Around the show, sometimes we develop like some additional activities, some games or coloring sheets, regarding kids titles. Regarding other genres, we work on offering content that gives the audience some extra context on our website’.
Notable titles include the live-action series Tuta, the preschool animation Shammies, and the animated film Talking Dogs.
