Media regulations
The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania prohibits censorship and monopolisation of the mass media (Article 44), guarantees freedom of expression, and lays down the limits of exercising freedom of expression (Article 25). The principal law governing the activity of public information is the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public (see chapter 4.2.1). The Ministry of Culture is one of the institutions responsible for the media policy and the implementation of the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information. In implementing and coordinating national media policy, the Ministry of Culture cooperates with institutions operating in the field of public information and carrying out related supervision: the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania and the Office of the Inspector of Journalist Ethics (see chapter 2.2 for more about the Office).
The Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania is an independent body accountable to the Seimas, which regulates and supervises the activities of radio and television broadcasters, on-demand audiovisual media service providers falling under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Lithuania, re-broadcasters carrying their activities in the territory of Lithuania and other legal bodies providing distribution services of radio and television programmes on internet for the users in the territory of Lithuania. The Commission also participates in the formation of national audiovisual policy. It is an expert body for the Seimas and the Government on audiovisual issues. When performing its functions and taking decisions on issues within its remit, the Commission acts independently. The Commission consists of 11 members: 2 members are appointed by the President of the Republic of Lithuania, three members (one of them from the opposition political groups) are appointed by the Seimas on the recommendation of the Committee on Culture, three members are appointed by the Lithuanian Association of Artists, one member – by the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference, one member – by the Lithuanian Journalists’ Union, and one member – by the Society of Lithuanian Journalists. The members of the Commission are appointed to serve for a period of four years and may not serve for more than two terms in succession. The chairman and deputy chairman of the Commission are appointed by the Seimas.
The Ministry of Culture monitors media ownership. Pursuant to the provisions of Article 24 of the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public, all legal entities who are publishers of local, regional or national newspapers and magazines or managers of the public information media must submit to the Ministry of Culture the data on their participants who have the right of ownership to or control at least 10 per cent of all the shares or assets (where the assets are not share-based) and inform of the revised data if they change. The data specifies the following: media stakeholders; information about property relations and/or joint activity linking them with other producers and/or disseminators of public information and/or their participants. The Ministry publishes received data on its website in the Database of Producers and Disseminators of Public Information.
The antitrust measures to prevent concentration of media and all other economic entities are set up by the Lithuanian Law on Competition (1999) (last edition in 2025). The Law defines a dominant position as the position of one or more undertakings in a relevant market directly facing no competition or enabling the exertion of a unilateral, decisive influence in a relevant market by effectively restricting competition. Unless proved otherwise, an undertaking (except retailers) with a market share of not less than 40 per cent is considered to enjoy a dominant position within the relevant market. Unless proved otherwise, each of a group of three or a smaller number of undertakings (except for retailers) with the largest shares of the relevant market, jointly holding 70 per cent or more of the relevant market, is considered to enjoy a dominant position.
Lithuania has a national broadcasting company: the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT). LRT is a public body belonging to the State by the right of ownership. The Law on the Lithuanian National Radio and Television regulates the procedure of establishing, managing, operating, reorganising and liquidating LRT, its rights, duties, and liability. The activities of a public broadcaster are also based on the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public. Programming diversity is declared as one of the main aims of LRT, which is realised through 7 media channels (3 TV channels, 3 radio stations and a news website). Two of them – television LRT Plus and radio LRT Klasika deliver specialised content dedicated to culture. LRT’s annual budget depends directly on the taxes collected in the year before the last. The State allocates 1% of personal income tax and 1.3% of excise duties collected. LRT is not allowed to air commercial advertising. This funding model, where the LRT’s budget is automatically calculated as a fixed share of the taxes collected by the State, has been in place since 2015 and was introduced as a guarantee of independence from government institutions, as well as commercial revenues and economic lobbying. The highest governing LRT body is the LRT Council. It is formed for a term of 6 years and consists of 12 members, public, scientific, and cultural figures. The Council forms the strategy of the LRT programming and LRT website, supervises the implementation of the LRT’s mission, approves the annual income and spending by the LRT administration, as well as deals with other issues within the Council’s capacity as envisaged by the LRT by-laws.
Radio broadcasting
According to the data of the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission, in 2025, there were 38 radio broadcasters in Lithuania that broadcast 63 radio programmes. The Lithuanian public broadcasting company LRT broadcasts 3 radio programmes: “LRT radijas”, “Opus”, and “Klasika”. The last one is dedicated to cultural content. Other radio broadcasters are private companies; most of them are for-profit organisations. There are two Polish radio programmes in Lithuania: “Znad Wilii”, and “RadioWilno” (streamed online only), and one Russian programme: “Radio R”. The Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT airs information of different durations for national minorities (in Russian, Belarusian, Polish, Yiddish, and Ukrainian).
In 2024, the greatest variety of radio programmes was in the largest cities of Lithuania: in Vilnius, 31 programmes, in Kaunas, 25, in Klaipėda, 25, in Šiauliai, 23, and in Panevėžys, 19. By share of listening time, the top radio stations “Lietus” and “M-1” together accounted for 33% of listening time. During the winter 2023–spring 2024 period, the national broadcaster’s programme “LRT RADIJAS” ranked third with 12.2%.
According to the data of Lithuanian Statistics, in 2024, the share of domestic (original) radio programmes of the public broadcaster amounted to 92.5 % of the total volume and is by 0.9% smaller than in 2016. The share of domestic (original) radio programmes of private radio companies amounted to 92 % and is smaller by 4.3 % than in 2016 (see Table 2). The main part of the original content of radio programmes in 2024 was entertainment (59 %), while educational programmes made up the smallest share (0.52 %). The culture programmes made up 4.7% of total content (see Table 3).
Table 2: Volume of radio programmes, in hours, in 2016–2024
|
|
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
State broadcasting company |
Total |
27 944 |
27 883 |
27 888 |
27 845 |
28 439 |
28 311 |
28 373 |
28 382 |
26 352 |
|
Original programmes |
26 362 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
26 352 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
24 376 |
|
|
Foreign programmes |
122 |
122 |
122 |
122 |
122 |
122 |
122 |
122 |
122 |
|
|
Coproduction programmes |
1 460 |
1 481 |
1 486 |
1 443 |
1 965 |
1,909 |
1 971 |
1 980 |
1 854 |
|
|
Private companies |
Total |
262 325 |
253 571 |
220 896 |
239 579 |
260 729 |
258 650 |
275 593 |
243 968 |
221 667 |
|
Original programmes |
252 640 |
245 616 |
212 282 |
231 485 |
237 195 |
241 642 |
258 368 |
228 480 |
203 997 |
|
|
Foreign programmes |
9 685 |
7 955 |
8 614 |
8 094 |
23 534 |
17 008 |
17 225 |
15 488 |
3 209 |
|
|
Coproduction programmes |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
14 461 |
Source: the Official Statistics Portal
Table 3: Structure of original radio programmes, in hours and per cent, in 2018–2024
|
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|||||||
|
|
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
|
Total |
238 562 |
100 |
257 765 |
100 |
263547 |
100 |
26 7922 |
100 |
284648 |
100 |
254760 |
100 |
248019 |
100 |
|
Information programmes |
25 857 |
10.8 |
26 840 |
10.4 |
26281 |
10.0 |
40 266 |
15.03 |
34946 |
12.3 |
27030 |
10.6 |
60922 |
24.56 |
|
Educational programmes |
3 001 |
1.3 |
3 350 |
1.3 |
2515 |
1.0 |
1 542 |
0.58 |
1646 |
0.58 |
1393 |
0.55 |
1293 |
0.52 |
|
Culture programmes |
10 429 |
4.4 |
12 168 |
4.7 |
13 782 |
5.2 |
13 642 |
5.09 |
14568 |
5.12 |
12651 |
4.97 |
11790 |
4.75 |
|
Religious programmes |
4 439 |
1.9 |
4 517 |
1.8 |
4 606 |
1.7 |
5 097 |
1.9 |
4376 |
1.54 |
4403 |
1.73 |
3587 |
1.45 |
|
Advertising |
11 898 |
5.0 |
16 920 |
6.6 |
24 078 |
9.1 |
18 287 |
6.83 |
23836 |
8.37 |
19971 |
7.84 |
15244 |
6.15 |
|
Entertainment programmes |
174 330 |
73.1 |
187 287 |
72.7 |
183 722 |
69.7 |
18 1387 |
67.7 |
160246 |
56.3 |
175278 |
68.8 |
146325 |
59.0 |
|
Not classified |
8 608 |
3.6 |
6683 |
2.6 |
8 563 |
3.2 |
7701 |
2.87 |
9030 |
3.17 |
14034 |
5.51 |
8858 |
3.57 |
Source: the Official Statistics Portal
TV broadcasting
According to the data of the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission, in 2024, there were 26 TV broadcasting companies in Lithuania that broadcast 546 programmes. 12 of them were also engaged in re-broadcasting programmes. 46 companies were engaged in the rebroadcasting, 5 of them also take part in programme dissemination on internet. There were 2 companies which broadcast online only. Most of these organisations are private for-profit organisations, except the Lithuanian public broadcaster and 4 public local broadcasting institutions. Lithuanian public broadcasting company LRT broadcasts 3 TV programs: “LRT televizija”, “LRT Lituanica”, and “LRT Plius”. The last one is dedicated to cultural content.
According to the data of the Official Statistics Portal, in 2024, the share of domestic (original) television programmes of the public broadcaster amounted to 81.5% of the total volume, which is 4 % less than in 2016. (see Table 4). The share of domestic (original) TV programmes of private television broadcasting companies was 53.4%, which is 5% less than in 2016. The main part of the original content of TV programmes was entertainment (42%), while educational and religious programmes made up the smallest share (0.48% and 0.53 %). Culture programmes made up 8.57% of total content (see Table 5).
Table 4: Volume of television programmes, in hours, in 2016–2024
|
|
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
State broadcasting company |
Total |
27 681 |
30 447 |
31 824 |
31 703 |
30 530 |
30 685 |
31 968 |
31 135 |
26 280 |
|
Original programmes |
23 514 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
26 352 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
26 280 |
21 425 |
|
|
Foreign programmes |
4 167 |
4 167 |
5 544 |
5 423 |
4 178 |
4 405 |
5 688 |
4 855 |
4 855 |
|
|
Coproduction programmes |
− |
− |
− |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
|
Private companies |
Total |
119 837 |
168 220 |
194 305 |
223 112 |
146 891 |
176 457 |
229 527 |
172 899 |
178 554 |
|
Original programmes |
70 440 |
136 891 |
136 891 |
142 891 |
99 629 |
136 675 |
150 336 |
90 535 |
95 390 |
|
|
Foreign programmes |
33 907 |
21 079 |
56 752 |
73 776 |
46 868 |
39 782 |
77 425 |
72 619 |
72 619 |
|
|
Coproduction programmes |
15 490 |
10 250 |
662 |
6 445 |
394 |
– |
1 766 |
9 745 |
10 545 |
Source: the Official Statistics Portal
Table 5: Structure of original television programmes, in hours and per cent, in 2018–2024
|
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|||||||
|
|
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
Hours |
% |
|
Total |
158 939 |
100 |
169 171 |
100 |
125981 |
100 |
162 955 |
100 |
176 616 |
100 |
116 815 |
100 |
121 167 |
100 |
|
Information programmes |
28 258 |
17.8 |
34 562 |
20.4 |
25 930 |
20.6 |
30446 |
18.68 |
34712 |
19.65 |
31834 |
27.25 |
27 230 |
22.47 |
|
Educational programmes |
686 |
0.4 |
374 |
0.2 |
579 |
0.5 |
571 |
0.35 |
300 |
0.17 |
164 |
0.14 |
579 |
0.48 |
|
Culture programmes |
14 869 |
9.4 |
14 575 |
8.6 |
9 011 |
7.2 |
10 881 |
6.68 |
10 408 |
5.89 |
9 696 |
8.3 |
10 383 |
8.57 |
|
Religious programmes |
423 |
0.3 |
448 |
0.3 |
475 |
0.4 |
577 |
0.35 |
559 |
0.32 |
552 |
0.47 |
640 |
0.53 |
|
Advertising |
13 239 |
8.3 |
13 829 |
8.2 |
19 201 |
15.2 |
41 342 |
25.37 |
57 962 |
32.82 |
1 6491 |
14.12 |
24 804 |
20.47 |
|
Entertainment programmes |
67 055 |
42.2 |
64 233 |
38.0 |
47 819 |
38.0 |
51157 |
31.39 |
56 196 |
31.82 |
49 798 |
42.63 |
50 987 |
42.08 |
|
Not classified |
34 409 |
21.6 |
41 150 |
24.3 |
22 966 |
18.2 |
27 981 |
17.17 |
16 479 |
9.33 |
8 280 |
7.09 |
6 544 |
5.4 |
Source: the Official Statistics Portal
Until 2023, the production and distribution of original domestic content broadcast by TV and radio companies were supported by the Press, Radio, and Television Support Foundation. Since 2024, this support has been provided by the new Media Support Fund (see chapter 1.2.2).
According to the authors of the Lithuania Report of Media Pluralism Monitor 2025, Lithuania scores low risk in Fundamental Protection (23%) and Political Independence (25%), medium-low risks in social Inclusiveness (36%), and medium-high risk in Market Plurality (58%). The report states that “Although the Market Plurality area remains the most problematic, there has been progress compared to MPM 2024, as the previously high risk has decreased to medium-high risk. A renewed system of direct media subsidies, which has inspired a certain vitality in the media field, has strengthened regional/local and cultural media. However, high concentration in media markets and the dominance of global corporations in the digital advertising market continue to have significant potential to increase risks to media pluralism” (page 9).
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