The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has expressed concern over a Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office inquiry into the editorial procedures of public broadcaster LRT. The EBU warns that the investigation into covert information gathering methods could threaten editorial independence and the protection of journalistic sources.
This investigation represents a significant test for the European Media Freedom Act as public authorities attempt to scrutinize the internal decision-making processes of a national broadcaster. By demanding access to authorization logs and evidence requirements, the inquiry could set a precedent that allows state entities to bypass traditional journalistic protections under the guise of legal compliance. For the broader European streaming and broadcast ecosystem, this tension highlights the fragility of editorial independence when investigative methods are treated as administrative violations. Watch for whether the Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office narrows its scope or if the EBU escalates this to European Union regulatory bodies to enforce EMFA safeguards.
The European Broadcasting Union is challenging a Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office inquiry into LRT’s editorial procedures for covert recordings. The EBU warns that demanding internal authorization logs threatens journalistic independence and confidential sources, potentially violating the European Media Freedom Act by allowing state interference in public service media decision-making processes.
The EBU warns that the inquiry could expose confidential journalistic sources and unpublished investigative materials, violating the European Media Freedom Act's protections for public service media.
Prosecutors are demanding internal records regarding how LRT editors authorize, document, and supervise covert investigative recordings.
LRT's existing policy restricts the use of covert recording to exceptional circumstances that require prior approval from senior editorial staff.
The inquiry is seen as a test for the European Media Freedom Act, as it involves state authorities scrutinizing the internal decision-making processes of a national broadcaster.
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