Media Audience Development in Latvia (2004–2012)

ISSN 2029-865X 144 doi://10.7220/2029-865X.06.06

MEDIA AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT IN LATVIA (2004–2012)

Anda ROŽUKALNE [email protected] PhD, Head of the Department of Communication Studies Faculty of Communication Riga Stradiņš University Riga, Latvia

ABSTRACT: This article analyses the main development trends in media audience structure and media use in Latvia since its joining the European Union in 2004. To characterize and carry out the analysis quantitative data were mainly used which are regularly provided by TNS Latvia – an agency for market, social and media research. In addition to the information provided by TNS Latvia, this summary also employs a study on broadcasting media audience structure and content priorities commissioned by the National Electronic Media Council and carried out by the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences. In order to describe media usage patterns in different audience groups, data from polls and focus group studies were used, carried out by the author. The behavior of media audience is characterized by taking into account media consumption and providing detailed information about press, broadcasting and Internet media usage trends. The data show that Latvian media consumption time and the diversity in media usage is increasing. Due to technological development, some audiences tend to consume less of traditional media, giving preference to Internet media where it is possible to receive all the necessary information. National social networking site draugiem.lv has become increasingly popular in the local media environment, where people are mainly communicating among themselves. Latvian media audience can also be described by a generational gap – people below thirty mainly use Internet media, while those above 30 tend, in their use, to combine both traditional and Internet media. Nevert- heless, television is still the most important source for information and entertainment for Latvian people – from 2000 until 2009, TV viewing figures have gone up on average from 260 minutes (4.3 h) to 306 minutes (5.1 h) per day. At the same time, in the last few years, the number of press readers has declined. However, the press usage habits are those that clearly show the differences between the Latvian audience media usage that are determined by such factors as ethnicity, media availability and traditions of media consumption. Latvian-speaking audiences gradually abandon reading newspapers, while still tend to prefer consumer magazines and regional press. In their turn, Russian-speaking audiences have retained stable habits to read daily and weekly newspapers. In terms of content preferences, media users in Latvia mainly consume news and various entertainment formats.

KEYWORDS: Latvian media audience, media usage patterns, Internet media, social networks

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MAIN TRENDS OF MEDIA USAGE AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

The structure of media audiences and usage trends during the last 10 years have been influenced by the following factors:

- An increase in overall media usage time and diversity; - The decline in population from 2.3 to 2 million due to emigration and negative demographic rate; - Aging of the population that influences media usage patterns and chosen contents; - Developments in media technologies – the availability of Internet, the development of on-line news services and the availability of traditional media in the Internet environment; - The decline of Latvian public media audience facilitated by the decrease in content quality, TV digitalization and the fragmentation of the audience; - Unstable media business environment characterized by a high level of competition and monotonous, mass audience-targeted content; - The economic recession from 2008 to 2011 due to which the basis for media existence had crucially worsened. PRINT MEDIA USE

The tendencies of recent years clearly show that newspapers more and more lose their appeal in the eyes of the Latvian readers. Daily newspapers have lost the most – in Spring 2012 only 21 per cent of all population regularly read daily press (see Table 1). Regional press audience is fairly stable because these publications offer unique information that is important to local audiences, as well as they are still highly trusted by local people. The main problem of regional press is the reduction of overall population in Latvian cities and country territories, which is thus bringing a decline of reading figures.

Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring 2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 Daily newspapers 24% 25% 21% 22% 21% Table 1. Weekly publications 64% 62% 60% 60% 62% Latvian press Semi-weekly usage patterns 20% 19% 20% 21% 21% magazines (TNS Latvia). Monthly publications 43% 42% 41% 42% 43% Quarterly publications 9% 10% 9% 11% 12%

Regional press 40% 41% 41% 39% 39%

* % Number of people who have read or browsed through at least one press issue, Spring 2012. 146 Anda ROŽUKALNE

TNS Latvia quantitative data, which describe Latvian press usage patterns, clearly show audience’s lack of interest in newspapers and, on the other hand, a clear interest in various magazines. Especially popular are weekly magazines, but the analysis of their titles and contents shows that readers mostly choose women’s interest and celebrity press. Various popular science and practical advice publications are also increasingly popular. The analysis of the most-read press can explain the features that characterize Latvian-speaking and non- Latvian audience preferences (see Table 2). Latvian audiences mostly choose magazines and regional press, but Russian-speaking population read weekly entertainment papers and TV guides.

Table 2. Rank Top 10 (Spring Target group ‘Latvians’ Publisher publications 2012) by the average 1 Ieva/Eva (women’s weekly magazine) Publishing House SANTA number of readers of one issue (TNS Privātā Dzīve/Private Life (celebrities weekly 2 Publishing House SANTA Latvia). magazine) 3 Kas Jauns/What’s Up (celebrities weekly magazine) Rīgas Viļņi Ievas Stāsti/Eva’s Stories (human interest and 4 Publishing House SANTA women’s semi-weekly magazine Ilustrētā zinātne / Illustrated Science (popular 5 Dienas Žurnāli science, monthly magazine) Ievas Māja/Eva’s Home (housing semi-weekly 6 Publishing House SANTA magazine) Ilustrētā Pasaules Vēsture / Illustrated History of 7 Dienas Žurnāli World (popular science, monthly magazine) Ievas Veselība/Eva’s Health (health semi-weekly 8 Publishing House SANTA magazine) Ievas Virtuve/Eva’s Kitchen (gourmet semi-weekly 9 Publishing House SANTA magazine) 10 Latvijas Avīze (national daily) Lauku Avīze

* Target group – Latvians, Spring 2012.

The chart reflects Latvian-speaking press audience’s priorities: in the chart, we see only one daily; the rest is various magazines that entertain, confirm one’s identity, help escape reality and receive practical information. Different reading patterns are those of the Russian-speaking audience (see Table 3): they still enjoy their dailies, and give less attention to magazines published in Latvia.

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Rank Table 3. (Spring Target group ‘Other nationality’ Publisher Top 10 2012) publications 1 MK Latvia (entertaining weekly) ‘PRINT MEDIA’ SIA by the average number of 2 TV Programma / TV Guide Logos readers of one 3 Rīgas Santīms / Centime of Riga (Free advertisement Petits issue (TNS weekly newspaper) Latvia). 4 Teleprogramma s Dadei Mišei / TV guide with uncle Misha Petits (TV program weekly magazine) 5 Vesti Segodnja / News today (national daily) Logos 6 Vesti/News (weekly newspaper) Logos 7 Subbota/ Saturday (entertaining weekly newspaper) Petits 8 7 sekretov/ 7 Secrets (criminal news and features/weekly Logos newspaper 9 Televizor/TV Set (TV guide, weekly newspaper) 10 Lilit (women’s monthly magazine) Lilita

* Target group – other nationality, Spring 2012.

After analyzing the most popular topics among Latvian readers, it can be seen that their interests are quite similar: they differ not by their language, but by the small differences in age and gender (see Table 4 and 5). A poll by TNS Latvia carried out in the Fall 2011 showed that press users in Latvia most usually read joke sections, information on current affairs and health issues.

Table 4. All population (15–74) Men Women Top 3 topics in 1 Jokes Jokes Health Latvian printed 2 Current affairs in Latvia and abroad Sports Recipes press (TNS 3 Health Cars Jokes Latvia).

Jokes are read by 40 per cent of all readers, but more often by men, people living in rural areas and readers with relatively small income (below 150 Lats per month). Current affairs interest 32 per cent of the population among whom there are more non-Latvians and readers in the age between 55 and 74 (Daugule, 2011). Women are more interested in health issues than men are, who, in their turn, read more about cars and sports. However, youth audiences are more interested in science and newest technologies. 148 Anda ROŽUKALNE

Table 5. Age group Top 3 most 15–29 years 30–49 years 50–74 years popular topics in printed press by 1 Jokes Jokes Health age group. 2 Horoscopes Recipes Current affairs in Latvia and abroad 3 Science, new Current affairs in Latvia Jokes technologies and abroad

The press reading patterns reflect similar habits in other media as well: audience’s interest in media contents, the tendencies to use media in specific situations and receiving specific information. Although there are still a lot of printed press available in Latvia, audience’s media usage patterns show that broadcasting and Internet media play an increasingly important part in people’s lives.

BROADCASTING MEDIA USE

Television and radio are still important sources of information for the Latvian population. The time spent in front of a TV set has continued to grow, and in 2011 it has reached five hours per day.

The majority of Latvian population on watch some TV broadcasts or listen to radio a daily basis (82%). The growth in viewing figures partially coincides with the processes in other countries after digitalization because the new diversity of channels and their contents facilitates the increase in TV viewing time. In comparison to data from other European countries, from 1998 until 2008, TV viewing time has gone up for 8% (IP International Marketing Committee, 2009), while in Latvia, in the years between 2000 and 2009, same number increased by 16% (Skaistā, 2009), at the same time bringing a decline in the overall audience per channel. The most popular TV channels in Latvian are TV3 and LNT, as well as public broadcasting channels LTV1 and LTV7, while Russian-speakers prefer PBK, TV5 and TV3+.

By analyzing viewers’ interests, it can be seen that people are stable in their choice to watch daily news program and broadcasts of popular cultural events. Among regularly watched formats are popular shows and local TV series, also social and political debate broadcasts and investigative journalism programs. Although to every viewer there are hundreds of channels available, Latvian TV audience likes to ‘surf’ only among 3 to 5 of them. Among the most popular TV channels are the largest commercial stations – TV3 and LNT, as well as the cross-border channel Perviy Baltisky Kanal (PBK), which provides viewers with a content produced in Russia, and Latvian news in Russian.

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The analysis of TV viewer structure shows considerable differences that divides TV audience by factors of age, living area and nationality. Channel’s language also determines its audience’s nationality – so, for example, Latvian-speaking audience’s share in LNT and TV3 viewing rates are 19-20%, while other nationalities watch these channels only 4 per cent of their overall viewing time. At the same time, non-Latvians choose to watch PBK more than 20% of the time, but other Russian-speaking channels, e.g. TV3+ or TV5, are watched only 6 per cent of the viewing time (Baltic Institute of Social Sciences, 2011).

TNS Latvia data on the age groups of Latvian TV channels show that the majority of viewers who watch LNT and LTV1 are above the age of 55, but younger audiences can be attracted only by TV3. That indicates a situation where younger audiences below 30 tend to spend less of their time using TV contents. A different age factor can be seen with the LTV7 and PBK audiences, where LTV7 attract a wider age gap including all age groups, but PBK has audience of under 35, as well as older viewers. (Baltic Institute of Social Sciences, 2011).

In general terms, TV audience can be characterized by data that partially coincide with the viewing patterns of different nationalities, and are linked to the nationality populated by specific region: in Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Zemgale, where the population is dominated by Latvians, people tend to watch more of LNT, TV3 and LTV1, while in Greater Riga region and Latgale, where a large proportion of viewers are of other nationalities, PBK is more popular. By evaluating the changes in the audiences from channel to channel, a distinct feature can be seen, i.e. a declining trend in ratings of the public broadcaster.

During the Nineties, without its monopoly status and with the advent of commercial broadcasters, LTV tried to compete with other members of TV market, rather than developing the uniqueness of its content, thus balancing between content corresponding with the mission of PSM and commercially viable programming. As a result the share of original television formats decreased, along with journalistic quality and thematic and functional diversity, but the level of commercialization increased. After digitalization in 2010 all popular TV channels in Latvia lost a part of its audience, the only exception was Russian TV channel PBK (see Figure 1). 150 Anda ROŽUKALNE

Figure 1. Audience changes of mainstream TV channels in Latvia 2007– 2011, % (TNS Latvia).

LTV content is fragmented: most of the airtime is filled with small, short- term formats, with a low level of periodicity. Within the content structure of LTV, several formats, thematically narrowly focused, structurally similar, with an equivalent journalistic approach exist along a small amount of virtually non-existing educational and kids shows, with a small share of analytical programming. Project principle is used in the production of LTV content. The producers of individual projects have limited power over the process of planning and project implementation. The result of this sort of content management, creates fragmentated content, thematical mundanity, limited amount of genre and format.

The quantitative data of the audience reflects the problematic situation of public television in Latvia: during last five years the main channel LTV 1 (news, discussion programs, education and culture programs for the general public) has lost its position as main channel for the Latvian audience (see Figure 2).

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Figure 2. Audience of LTV1 and LTV7 2007–2011, % (TNS Latvia).

LTV’s decreasing audience can be associated with programming not suitable for the ethnical structure of Latvia – LTV does not offer wholesome and quality content in Russian language for the minorities of Latvia. LTV7 Russian-language news program ‘Šodien’ (Today) has no consistent timeslot (it is adjusted according to sports and other broadcasts), and its content is judged as unsystematic in research of Latvian news (Kruks, Juzefovičs, Kikuste & Kikusts, 2007). Research indicates that, the main principle of LTV7’s news production is based on visualisation, adding of quotes and opinions, to events and news provided by news services and public relations companies. LTV has an insufficiently integrated news production process in both Latvian and Russian. Due to lack of funds and the policy of content creation LTV1 and LTV7 have decreased their content (news and broadcasts) focused on minorities, thus losing part of PSM audience share (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. LTV audience, nationalities, 2011, % (TNS Latvia). 152 Anda ROŽUKALNE

The large Russian minority in Latvia constitutes about 30 percent of the population in Latvia. Although the most important task of the content of second LTV channel LTV7 is to attract minorities audiences, quantitative data shows that very small part of so called non - Latvian speaking public belongs to the audience of this particular channel.

During the rise of Internet media, public service television and radio have failed to develop their Internet services. The failure to exploit online platforms to a great extent explains public broadcasters’ inability to reach younger age groups whose media usage patterns are rather differ in comparison with the habits of older audience groups (see Figure 4). Public media in Latvia mostly focus on their loyal audiences: older users, ethnic Latvians, the rural population. Opinion surveys point to paradoxical conclusions: even though public service television is more trusted than its commercial rivals, it is not the most widely watched (Juzefovics, 2011). Figure 4. LTV audience; age groups, 2011, % (TNS Latvia).

The content of both LTV channels is created by permanent employees and the companies of independent producers. As LTV co-operation with independent producers is based on the necessity to attract advertising revenue in exchange for airtime, most of independent productions broadcast on LTV are filled with content suitable for the interests of sponsors or personal creative interests, rather than content corresponding with the tasks of PSM.

Positive change in LTV1 and LTV7 in recent years is characterized by the regular inclusion of cinema and live musical events in the schedule. The viewers of PSM are offered historical TV series produced in other parts of the EU. This offer differs from the content broadcast by commercial television and contributes to increased diversity of content offer to the Latvian audience.

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RADIO AUDIENCE

Latvian radio broadcasting market is very fragmented – there are only a few channels that are able to attract more than 10 per cent of the listening audience. In Latvia, people most commonly listen to some of the commercial channels that broadcast popular music and short news; their programs correspond to the adult contemporary format. Most popular commercial radio stations are Radio Skonto, Radio SWH and Radio Star FM, that mostly attract adult audiences (5-15%). Younger audiences comprise the majority of European Hit Radio listeners.

Unlike public TV, public radio broadcasts are able to attract a larger audience, therefore dominating the Latvian market: LR1 (news, analytical and cultural programs) – 11% of the audience, LR2 (popular Latvian hits) – 19%, LR3 (classical music) – 3%, LR4 (in Russian) – 7%. Majority of those listening to LR1 are above the age of 55, while LR2, which, by its audience, is the largest radio channel in Latvia, can also find listeners in younger audiences.

In general, Latvian-speaking population are those listening to radio on a daily basis; in each region, 3 to 4 channels are among the most popular. An exception is Latgale’s population whose media usage patterns generally differ in the context of radio – people in this region mostly listen to programs produced by local radio stations in Russian. These data by TNS Latvia also confirm that Latgale’s media patterns are different from that in the rest of the country, therefore there appears a media content gap between the information received by people of Latgale and that transmitted in other regions.

INTERNET MEDIA AUDIENCE

For two thirds of Latvian population Internet access has become an everyday activity – Internet is regularly used by 70% of people (TNS Latvia, Spring 2012); the last three years have seen a growth of Internet use in the age group of 40-49 years. That Internet is actively used at home is shown by data that for the last few years there is a rapid increase in the number of users who go on-line at least once a day and who access the Internet at home rather than from work.

The growth in Internet accessibility and the diversity of its contents during the last ten years have considerably altered media usage patterns by reducing time spent using traditional media. Latvians are passionate users of the national social network draugiem.lv, making Latvia the only European country where a local network has more users than facebook.com. This is confirmed by an Internet content study whose data show that Latvians use Internet mainly to 154 Anda ROŽUKALNE

browse through social networks – 54% of regular users log into a social network site at least once a day. Same is true with the mobile Internet users where social networks are the most visited websites (Vendele, 2011). Main reason to use social networks is maintaining contacts, as well as contacting other people (73% of Internet users), spending spare time (43%) and finding new friends and acquaintances (37%).

Internet content studies correspond to the data of Internet usage that show that 30% of all users regularly use draugiem.lv network (Vendele, 2012), which ranks at number 3 of Top 20 websites, just below google.com and the national email service provider inbox.lv (see Table 6). Among the most popular Internet media are the news websites delfi.lv, tvnet.lv and apollo.lv. Other popular sites are other different social networks, a personal advert site ss.lv and a references webpage 1188.lv.

Table 6. Website Average daily Audience last TOP 20 Internet audience % month % websites in 1 Google.com 57,4 90,4 Latvia by average daily 2 Inbox (LAT and RUS) 43,1 77,5 viewing, 2012. 3 Draugiem.lv 40,1 59,2 4 Delfi (LAT and RUS) 34,2 74,5 5 YouTube.com 29,1 63,2 6 Tvnet (LAT and RUS) 26,4 59,2 7 ss.lv 22,1 73,1 8 Gmail.com 21,2 37,7 9 Apollo.lv 16,9 43,9 10 Facebook.com 16,3 33,5 11 Odnoklasniki.ru 12,4 23,6 12 One.lv 8,8 18,4 13 Kasjauns.lv 6,0 20,5 14 Mail.ru 5,7 13,9 15 Twitter.com 4,9 10,7 16 1188.lv 4,6 38,7 17 Yandex.ru 4,3 15,1 18 Spoki.lv 4,2 17,7 19 Sportacents.com 4,0 8,5 20 Reklama.lv 3,9 25,0

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The growth of Internet usage is also facilitated by other technological developments. In 2012, smartphones were used by 12 per cent of the population between the ages of 15 and 74; the majority of them browse through Internet on their phones rather than computers. Both Latvian and non-Latvian audiences use Internet contents similarly, which is also true with various age groups where there is no little difference of usage patterns among people of different age.

CONCLUSION

Most of Latvia’s population actively use diverse media. Media usage is a constant, common and natural part of people daily activities. It can be compared to pleasant floating among various streams of information, where Latvian audiences easily change their preference of media content, and simultaneously use several different media. Media audiences become more used to choosing useful and captivating content, by selecting it from the rest of media offers.

Latvian audiences use media primarily to receive topical daily information and entertainment in its various forms. Some media – mostly magazines – are used to relax and receive information that is useful in everyday life. At the same time, the overall usage of printed press is declining, while only a few publications – regional press and several celebrity and women’s magazines – can still enjoy a stable following.

The changes in media usage patterns and technological developments have facilitated audience fragmentation, with some parts of audience abandoning traditional types of media by substituting local contents with those found in foreign online newspapers, magazines or TV news websites.

Latvian media habits are radically altered by communication within and receiving information from the national social network draugiem.lv – this medium has been able to attract users of different age groups and backgrounds, therefore becoming the only one in Europe that is more influential than Facebook in any particular country. Draugiem.lv is used regularly to communicate with friends, schoolmates and relatives, while Facebook is mostly used in communication with colleagues and for establishing international contacts.

In Latvia, different audiences’ interests and daily usage patterns are similar, yet there are some differences characterized by a factor of nationality: Latvians use different media than other nationalities, therefore receiving partially different information that influences the way various sides evaluate same events and processes. Some of the non-Latvian population, especially in Riga and the region of Latgale, use other than Latvian media produced content, usually that of Russian origin. 156 Anda ROŽUKALNE

Even though the contents of the most influential media in Latvia show that majority of the population prefer easily-digestible, low-quality information that entertains them and flickers before their eyes, the overall situation has changed – the audiences have begun a significant search for a new quality. The abundance of news and data encourages some people to try to understand what is really important in this ocean of information, why is it necessary to consume, and whether one must trust news offered by media. That is why there is an element of growth in the audience of small, yet quality journalistic formats.

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