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Two articles.

1. Published: Radio World International Edition 05.08.98.

Latvian Private Radio Progresses.

By Alnis Garkajis

Riga, Latvia Across this Baltic nation, private radio appears to be unstoppable.

A tended for two national private channels was awarded in late 1996, and two broadcasters - Radio SWH and Radio Rigai - are now beginning to see results of their fledgling networks.

These national private channels will challenge the supremecy of the lone Latvian state broadcaster, Latvijas Radio.

Although Latvijas Radio has two national programs and a regional FM service serving Riga, it is more constrained in its options than the new networks. Its funding sources are limited, and the law requires Latvijas Radio to target all possible listeners.

However the greatest obstacle for the state service is that the majority of its FM transmitters operate in the OIRT FM band, which is being phased out of use. But the costs of shifting to new transmitters for broadcasting in the CCIR FM band will not be inconsequential to Latvijas Radio.

In this regard, private radio stations have a lead on Latvijas Radio. Since the introduction of private radio here in 1991, strong radio and advertising cultures are developed alongside each other.

And as capitalism spread outwards from the capital city of Riga, radio too has grown up in many cities, including Jelgava, Jurmala, Daugavpils, Rezekne, Liepaja, Ventspils, Cesis and Valmiera.

Private broadcasting has been confined almost exclusively to the CCIR FM band. The main exception to this rule is Raimonds Kreicbergs, whose will rebroadcast Country Music Radio (CMR) on 576 kHz from a 500 kW transmitter near Riga.

CMR will use an old Latvijas Radio un Televizijas Centrs, the state transmission services provider, medium-wave transmitter, which is audible in Scandinavia and some parts of southern England.

“There were no stations airing country music in Latvia at the time, and while the costs of reconstructing an old antenna and of renting the transmitter are high by Latvian standards, they are quite reasonable compared to the costs of similar facilities elsewhere in Europe, “Kreicbergs said.

Costs were a major concern for Radio SWH and Radio Rigai when it come to constructing their national networks.

Radio SWH first looked to construct a satellite network to distribute its programs to local transmitters, but there were difficulties in finding enough partners to make a full satellite uplink station feasible.

Instead, Radio SWH decided to invest more money in marketing the station than in a satellite distribution system.

“We signed an agreement with Latvijas Radio un Televizijas Centrs to use its national network of microwave links”, said Radio SWH Technical Director Guntars Krumins.

Radio Rigai, on the other hand, decided to go ahead with a satellite based distribution system.

The station acquired a Swe Dish uplink system from the Swedish company Wahlberg & Selin. Radio Rigai Director Sanita Grike described the system as “one of the most modern in Europe”.

The Radio Rigai network went into full operation nationwide on 1 June.

The new networks, like all private radio stations in Latvia, rely solely on advertising to fund their operations. And While Latvijas Radio still garners 43 percent of listener-ship in the country, private broadcasters attract a significant number of advertisers.

According to market surveys, those who listen to the commercial stations tend to be younger and more affluent than those who listen to the state broadcaster. And as the Radio SWH and Radio Rigai networks grow, the advantage Latvijas Radio has in reach will decrease.

The national commercial stations could also end up taking some advertising revenue from local commercial stations.

“We know that advertisers in Latvia need to advertise not only in Riga, but in all of Latvia”, said Radio FM 102 Director Uldis Akselrods. Therefore some stations are considering partnerships where advertisers can by time on several stations centrally.

These sorts of informal networks will help make stations in less densely populated areas remain competitive against the might of the new national commercial services.

Alnis Garkajis reports on the industry for Radio World from Riga, Latvia.

2. Published: Radio World International Edition 13.05.98.

Latvian Radio Enters Digital Age.

By Alnis Garkajis

        Riga, Latvia Increased competition and improved technology are speeding the pace of modernization here.

        In August 1991, Rigas Neatkarigais Raiditajs (RNR) paved the way for other private radio by becoming the first commercial radio station in Latvia.

        Seven years later, a total of 29 programs are aired by the state-run Latvijas Radio and 23 commercial broadcasters.

        Although the majority of these stations are local, Latvijas Radio and two of the commercial stations - Radio SWH and Radio Rigas Jurmala - disseminate their programs nationally.

        In the capital city Riga, listeners can choose from about 13 different programs on the FM band. But even so, approximately 38 percent of the listeners still opt for Latvijas Radio.

        The offerings of commercial radio varies greatly from station to station. One can tune, for example Radio SWH and enjoy the classical music program "Amadeus" or tune to Vards & CO. for the Christian program "Kristigais Radio".

        The radio sector is more developed than other sectors of the broadcasting industry in Latvia. Many radio broadcasters have narrowly defined their target audience and nurtured for several years now.

    The first big wave of competitions among Latvian radio stations came in 1996 when Radio SWH and Radio Rigas Jurmala won five-year permits to broadcast programs nationally on the transmitter network.

        The move forced local stations to find ways to attract audiences and advertisers. They also had to improve the quality of their on-air sound.

        Most of the radio broadcasters in the country are equipped with fairly advanced equipment. Super FM, for instance, is equipped with a Virtual Radio digital studio system from the Italian company AEV.

        The station makes use of other AEV equipment, too, including an Exclusive MPX 10 band audio processor; a Luxor 3d stereo enchancer; a Thunder composite processor; a RDS 3900 RDS injector and an ITB 202-2B dual telephone hybrid.

        At the heart of the broadcasting complex is the AEV Aurad System 2, which is responsible for mixing signals from three 100-disc CD jukeboxes.

        Radio SWH, which has three radio studios and a recording studio for music production. The radio studios are equipped with consoles from Pasific Research & Engineering and Dateq, Ultimate Digital Studio (UDS) systems from On-Air Digital and three Digicart/II recorders from 360 Systems.

        The recording studio uses a 40-channel Soundcraft mixing console, an Alesis ADAT 24-track recorder and Akai DD 1000 for digital editing.

        While some Latvian radio stations are using digital for creating their programs, there are no plans yet to broadcast digital signals.

        Guntars Krumins, technical advisor to the chairman of the Nacionala Radio un Televizijas Padome, said that the country has not adopted DAB technology. However, he said he thinks that once receivers are available - and the prices have dropped - Latvia will consider taking on the technology.

    Alnis Garkajis reports on the industry for Radio World from Riga, Latvia.