Latvian Radio news chief resigns over storm coverage gap, editor-in-chief's position also questioned
The head of Latvian Radio's News Service, Uģis Lībietis, has resigned after news broadcasts were insufficient during last weekend's storm. The incident has also raised questions about the position of Latvian Public Media's editor-in-chief, Anita Brauna.
The head of Latvian Radio's (LR) News Service, Uģis Lībietis, decided on Monday to step down following criticism that news updates were not aired frequently enough during last weekend's storm. For many people, radio was the only available source of information during the storm, making the lack of timely updates especially notable.
Lībietis made the decision to resign after being urged to do so by Ieva Aile, a board member of Latvian Public Media (LSM), and Anita Brauna, LSM's editor-in-chief. Within the LR News Service, colleagues reacted with bitter irony, calling Lībietis "the only person in the country" to lose a job because of the storm.
Uncertainty around the editor-in-chief's position
According to Latvian Television's programme "De facto", the matter has not been resolved simply by Lībietis's departure. The programme reports that the position of LSM's editor-in-chief, Anita Brauna, is also being called into question, suggesting her role may not be secure following the incident.
It remains unclear how the situation surrounding LSM's leadership will develop further, or whether additional personnel changes will follow.
