FOTP 2013 Full Report

series of ownership changes, in 2012 Latvia’s three major Russian-language newspapers weremerged into a single publication. In June, TV3, which is controlled by Sweden’s Modern TimesGroup (MTG), took over LNT, which had seen a decline in market share in recent years. MTGnow holds more than 60 percent of the Latvian television advertising market. In response torecent scandals that have exposed Latvia’s inadequate legislation on media ownershiptransparency, in September 2011 Parliament had adopted an amendment to the Law on the Pressand Other Mass Media that requires full disclosure of the beneficiaries of media enterprises,including websites. Outlets must now list their beneficiaries in the Register of Enterprises.The media environment suffered from the effects of the economic downturn that startedin 2008, but it is beginning to recover, along with Latvia’s overall economy. Although televisionadvertising takes up almost half of the advertising market, the recovery in 2012 was drivenmostly by the internet.LebanonStatus: Partly FreeLegal Environment: 18Political Environment: 21Economic Environment: 14Total Score: 53Survey Edition 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Total Score, Status 55,PF 56,PF 55,PF 53,PF 51,PFLebanon’s media environment remained freer than those of most other Middle Eastern countriesin 2012, but there were several incidents in which officials attempted to curb freedoms of speechand expression. Attacks against journalists also increased as the conflict in Syria spilled over intoLebanon, heightening political and sectarian tensions.The constitution provides for freedom of the press, but vague laws prohibiting thepublication of news deemed to contravene “national ethics” or trample “religious feelings”remain on the books. Journalists are also prohibited from insulting the head of state or foreignleaders, and those charged with press offenses may be prosecuted in a special publications court.Lebanese journalists complain that the media laws are chaotic, contradictory, and broadlyworded. Provisions concerning the media can be found in the penal code, the Publications Law,the 1994 Audiovisual Media Law, and the military justice code, giving the governmentconsiderable leeway to prosecute journalists at will, though it rarely does so. The AudiovisualMedia Law prohibits broadcasting of political or religious gatherings that have not beenpreviously authorized. It also bans “commentary seeking to affect directly or indirectly the wellbeingof the nation’s economy and finances, material that is propagandistic or promotional, orpromotes a relationship with Israel.” A Lebanese media watchdog group has crafted legalamendments that would abolish prison sentences for crimes related to publishing, loosenrestrictions on electronic media, provide for greater transparency of media ownership andfinancing, and halt requirements for prior licensing of political publications. The proposals werepending at the end of 2012. Early in the year, the Ministry of Information (MOI) proposed the240