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According to experts, the Kremlin’s propaganda narratives affect a part of the Lithuanian population. One of the proposed solutions is to establish a regional television channel for the south-east of Lithuania.
Impact felt
NSGK President Laurynas Kasčiūnas said during the meeting that certain narratives of the information space have increased during the vaccination period, which means that in some regions of Lithuania the vaccine level is below the Lithuanian average.
“Various public reports from the intelligence services have clearly shown that certain liars have been created in Russia, and certain narratives also influence the decisions of Lithuanian citizens.
It is clear that Russia has chosen Western vaccines as its target, especially the AstraZeneca vaccine, and this has been recognized. However, Russia itself is experiencing problems with vaccination, when V. Putin, angry at his society, strongly urges them to get vaccinated; he himself exported melalegs, but those yellows apparently affected his own society ”, evaluated L. Kasčiūnas.
According to him, it is also paradoxical that some fellow citizens are against Western vaccines, AstraZeneca is bad, da Sputnik, although according to technology these vaccines are the closest to each other.
After the session, MP L. Kasčiūnas to the news portal lrytas.lt He stated that, in order to diversify information from third countries, the idea of establishing a regional television for south-east Lithuania was proposed during the meeting.
“We have seen the need for a variety of information sources, for people to choose, not only for Russian TV channels. There are Polish channels, Lithuanian channels, maybe another channel will appear. We are thinking about the possibility of choosing”, explained the president of NSGK.
Hooks on the hook
During the committee meeting, a study was presented which revealed that at the initiative of the previous government, half of the population does not watch Polish TV channels in south-eastern Lithuania and some elect Russians.
According to a survey conducted last year on behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, 46 percent. the target audience responded that they watch at least one of the six Polish TV channels, 23%. They said they didn’t see them at all, 31 percent. He claimed to see no more than once a month.
According to Romano Judin, advisor to the Government Chancellery, the last two answers can be summarized, since such an unusual vision can be equated with ignorance.
When asked why they do not watch Polish television, 39 percent. of the population of southeastern Lithuania responded that they choose Russian channels, 30 percent. He claimed to watch Lithuanian television.
“The vaccination situation shows that although we are doing a lot with national minorities, their integration, we are facing the fact that we are not very successful in achieving the result that we would like to achieve,” said Culture Minister Simonas Kairys.
R. Judinas pointed out that the 2017 survey on media consumption by representatives of ethnic communities also showed a certain window of opportunity. Mat 92 percent. respondents claimed to use the Lithuanian media, almost 80%. – and Russian media channels.
“In terms of impact, the figures may be different, but they show a window of opportunity that could be better exploited,” he said.
An alternative is needed
Andrius Prochorenko, an analyst at the Center for Eastern European Studies, said his research revealed that it is not very important to reduce the amount of Russian information for ethnic communities living in Lithuania, but it is necessary to offer an alternative.
“When it comes to alternatives, it is very important not only the alternative as a fact, a new program or channel that has emerged, but also its interest,” emphasized this Wednesday the Minister of Culture, S. Kairys.
The research data also shows that the negative assessment of Russian President Vladimir Putin has been gradually decreasing in Lithuania since 2016. However, Putin and Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, remain perhaps the most negatively valued foreign leaders in Lithuania.
“If we look at Putin’s assessment for a few years starting in 2016, Putin’s assessment, while still very negative, is now less negative than a few years ago. If we assess the scale of – 100 to + 100, then 4 years ago his evaluation was – 48, now it is only – 28. Now his evaluation is much less negative than a few years ago “, – said A. Prochorenka.
Mantas Martišius, former chairman of the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission, also said that representatives of national communities choose to watch Russian television in entertainment programs.
“We play in the lower leagues,” he said. – People want good entertainment. They watch movies and shows on Russian television and see them hook on another hook. “
According to R. Judin, Russian information channels about the Baltic states form certain narratives for their viewers: supposedly ethnic communities are excluded from state life, that education in the languages of ethnic communities is deliberately destroyed in the Baltic states , war, fascists glorify that Russia defends true traditional values, and Lithuania is a failed state that follows anti-Russian policies imposed by the great powers and suffers as a result.
“Another narrative is that Russia constantly defends the interests not only of Russians, but of all ethnic communities. Russia allows itself to assume the role of defender of the most disadvantaged and weak and thus configures its political agenda,” said a spokesman for the Government Chancellery.
According to him, the Russian media also repeat the idea of military, technological and economic advantage over the West.
“Understand that Russia is far superior to the West, and you must understand who to choose to be friends with,” Judin said.
Offer a way out
Česlovas Rulevičius, director of the regional television of Trakai Aidas, presented to the members of the parliamentary committees the idea of creating a special television channel for the south-east of Lithuania: Aidas applied to the Communications Regulatory Authority for a new transmission frequency of 37 channels.
“If we succeed in implementing this project, a multicultural program targeting national minorities, (…) such content could, in my opinion, reduce the hostile content available to the people of south-eastern Lithuania in this sensitive region,” Č Rulevičius said .
At the time, the head of the Communications Regulatory Authority, Feliksas Dobrovolskis, stated that a tender was being prepared.
“Under the Electronic Communications Act, we must declare that such a request exists. If there are more they want, we have to hold an auction or a tender.
In this case, there is a second, the Lithuanian Radio and Television Center, and now we are preparing the conditions of the competition. The main problem from this angle is that we select only the technical operator, that is, the law does not establish any requirements for the content, “said F. Dobrovolskis.
