Latvian Media Digital Resilience Development in 2025: Focus on AI, Fact-Checking and Audiences
In 2025, Latvia’s media sector has taken significant steps to strengthen its digital resilience through an extensive programme of trainings, workshops and innovation events implemented by the Latvian Media Industry Competence Centre (LMNKC). Designed for national and regional media professionals, the programme focused on enhancing digital skills, improving newsroom efficiency and raising editorial quality. Over the course of the year, more than 500 media representatives took part in a wide range of activities – from online training sessions to a two-day media innovation hackathon in November.
The training cycle began in May with the Media Digitalisation Laboratory, a face-to-face event that brought together 26 media organisations selected within the LMNKC project. Through hands-on workshops, participants worked on change management, digital transformation and the integration of artificial intelligence solutions into everyday newsroom workflows. LMNKC’s overarching goal is to strengthen digital competences and media literacy among media professionals, support the sustainability of local content creators, safeguard a pluralistic media market and enhance resilience to disinformation – priorities that were consistently reflected across all training activities.
The spring programme was followed by a remote learning cycle for media professionals titled Data, Ethics and Innovation. This series equipped participants with practical knowledge for working more effectively with digital audiences and data, while also helping them navigate the challenges of artificial intelligence, disinformation and media ethics. Together with Latvian and international experts, participants explored digital audience research tools, data-driven content personalisation and a variety of AI tools useful for journalists and fact-checkers. A dedicated AI workshop focused specifically on the role of artificial intelligence in both the creation and detection of disinformation. The summer training cycle concluded with sessions addressing ethical and copyright challenges in the context of AI.
In September 2025, LMNKC launched a media and student mentoring programme running until January 2026. Within the programme, students from Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences collaborate with media organisations to develop digital content solutions, including social media formats, podcast episodes and other innovative outputs. In December, students also visited several regional newsrooms to gain first-hand insight into newsroom operations and to work on tasks defined by media partners.
Alongside the mentoring programme, a Mobile Journalism Masterclass took place in Jelgava in September, where media professionals strengthened their skills in video production and digital storytelling through practical, real-world assignments. In October, media representatives joined an online session dedicated to the most popular media channels in the Baltic States, exploring their role, audience behaviour and usage trends on social media, as well as practical tools for more effective multi-platform content planning and management.
Mid-November marked one of the highlights of the year – a two-day AI Media Innovation Hackathon. Under the guidance of mentors, media teams developed and tested new ideas using artificial intelligence, including prototypes such as automated content editing tools aimed at reducing the time spent on article review and quality control.
The autumn cycle of in-person events concluded on 28 November with the training Strengthening Practical Skills: Video, Audio and Digital Content. Participants heard expert insights on deepfakes, podcast production and engaging younger audiences, and took part in practical workshops on using AI for content and design, camera and podcast recording skills, and hands-on social media content creation tailored to youth audiences. In December, additional online training sessions on social media audiences attracted particularly strong interest. At the same time, mobile studios were installed in several regional media outlets across Latvia, accompanied by training on using new technologies for content creation – from social media and podcasts to other formats that will help diversify media offerings for audiences.
An overview of all LMNKC events is available on the LMNKC website under Events.
About the Latvian Media Industry Competence Centre (LMNKC)
The Latvian Media Industry Competence Centre implements the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility investment 2.2.1.5.i “Promoting the Digital Transformation of Media Sector Companies”, within the project “Training for the Development of Digital Competences and Knowledge of Media Sector Specialists” (Project No. 2.2.1.5.i.0/2/24/A/CFLA/001). The project implementation period runs from 21 November 2024 to 30 June 2026.
The project is implemented in partnership with organisations with long-standing experience in training, mentoring programmes and media support initiatives: Komercizglītības centrs (www.kic.lv), Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (www.va.lv) and the Baltic Centre for Media Excellence (www.bcme.eu).
