As well as acting as broadcast watchdog with the power to take action if illegal or inappropriate material is broadcast, NEPLP is also in overall charge of the funding of public broadcasting in Latvia, including the LSM news portals in Latvian, Russian and English.
By checking the Pilnīgs Vakars ("A total evening") program from mid-April to mid-June, NEPLP found out that rude and impolite expressions were used in the program, violating electronic mass media law.
NEPLP stated to media that Latvian Radio has not denied violations in the content of the program, adding that giving a warning about possible swearing before the show was not sufficient to maintain responsible broadcasting standards.
Latvian Radio, on the other hand, stated that new quality controls will be introduced as well as tighter program management.
Chairman of the board of Latvian Radio Aldis Pauliņš told LETA on Thursday that the fine is rather steep, but the radio will decide whether to contest the fine during the next board meeting.
Previously, Kārlis Dagilis, the director of the Pieci.lv station, was suspended following swear words being used on broadcast, but he has now been reinstated.
Besides being a reason for reviewing Dagilis' work, the swearing on the youth show was, nominally, among the motives for the dismissal of Ainārs Dimants, chairman of the board of the NEPLP.
