Latvian public broadcaster Latvijas Televizija (LTV) is joining European cultural channel ARTE’s network of partners.
At its general assembly on October 11, 2023, LTV approved the partnership agreement for joint co-productions and pre-purchases with ARTE.
Both broadcasters already engaged in editorial cooperations this year. The Sunrise Concert with Latvian organist Iveta Apkalna is currently online on arte.tv, as is the Latvian Song and Dance Festival 2023. ARTE and LTV will be filming Adriana Lecouvreur at the Latvian National Opera in Riga as part of the ARTE Opera Season in 2024.
Under the terms of the agreements, the partners in ARTE’s European network are represented in an advisory capacity on the main bodies of the broadcaster: the general assembly, the programme committee and the programme advisory committee.
Bruno Patino and Peter Weber, respectively President and Vice President of ARTE’s Management Board, stressed that the broadcaster’s network of European partner channels and organisations, which now comprises 11 active members, is at the heart of ARTE’s European strategy: “The partnership agreements make a crucial contribution to ARTE’s European approach, both in terms of programming and governance. Given the current geopolitical context, we are delighted to welcome a new public service channel from a Baltic country into the network. True to its mission of fostering mutual understanding and bringing people together in Europe, ARTE continues to make a major contribution towards creating a European cultural area.”
Ivars Priede, Chairperson of LTV’s Board of Directors, welcomed the agreement with ARTE, “a channel recognised the world over for its spirit of openness and its quality programming. Culture plays a major role in our conflict-ridden societies. This partnership agreement should be a sign of hope for our fellow Europeans, who are currently in need of a reference point”.
With LTV, ARTE further expands its network of partners. In 2022, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT joined the network. The other members are RTBF (Belgium), ORF (Austria), YLE (Finland), ?T (Czech Republic), SSR SRG (Switzerland), RAI Com (Italy), Film Fund Luxembourg and RTÉ (Ireland).
