The Lithuanian Transparency International organised a seminar ‘Breakfast with journalists’ with Nellija Ločmele, the former head of the Latvian ‘Diena Mediji’.  She explained the reasons behind the 20 journalists’ walk out from the Diena paper on 9 October.  It is a sad story, nothing more to say.

Since the Diena group was bought by an unknown investor the journalists wished to keep their transparent values and refused to work for Mr Nobody.  A Lithuanian Journalist asked Nellija, why did you quit, perhaps the new owners might not have put any pressure on your content after all?  Nellija, once again tried to explain that this is about values, and knowing who is owning the paper.  Not sure if the Lithuanian journalist understood.

There is a fantastic example in Lithuania when a Russian owned bank Snoras invested in the largest daily Lietuvos Rytas and what, nothing…  At least for the moment there are no complains about pressure form the new investors.  Possibly there is no pressure on the content yet, or we do not hear about it.  Let the dust settle down, and one of the most anti Kremlin paper might start changing its tune, slowly, step by step.  Nellija, was warning that currently it is extremely cheap to ‘shop for media’ in Latvia.  How is it in Lithuania?

Diena was a quality paper which was envied by the Lithuanian journalists.  As somebody in the audience noted that even though Diena is not the same, but Latvia has an audience for quality press, even though with a much smaller population, having in mind the ethnical divisions there.  Lithuanian, on the other hand has not audience for quality press, or at least no entrepreneurs who would like to support such a paper.

Meanwhile, if there is no Diena, there will be another Diena or Cita Diena (kita diena in Lithuanian) in Latvia.  All the best to you www.citadiena.lv