Richard Bærug
3. Findings
3.1. The Scale of the Practice
The results of the questionnaires filled out by TV journalists in Latvia, Norway and Lithuania can provide a first impression of the scale of the practice – how widespread is the phenomenon in the TV media market in Latvia, Norway and Lithuania that it is possible to become a guest in a TV programme if you pay or otherwise compensate.
The TV journalists were asked to mark the percentage of TV journalists in their home country who might be willing to produce stories on people who pay themselves or for whom somebody pays or otherwise compensates, so that the person can take part in the TV programme.
The answers varied greatly. 32% of Latvian TV journalists thought that between 21 – 40% of the TV journalists would be willing to do this. The same percentage, however, thought that between 61 – 80% of the Latvian TV journalists would be willing to do this. Fewer (21%) of the Latvian TV journalists thought that the right figure is between 0 – 20% of the TV journalists, even fewer (1%) – between 41 – 60%. None of the Latvian TV journalists thought that 81 – 100% of the journalists would be willing to do this.
The majority (64%) of Norwegian TV journalists believed that between 0 – 20% of their colleagues would be willing to engage in this process, 29% of the Norwegian journalists answered between 21 – 40% of Norwegian TV journalists, and only 7% thought that between 41– 60% of the Norwegian TV journalists would be willing to do this. None of the Norwegian TV journalists marked higher figures.
Lithuanian TV journalists gave very diverse answers to the questions. The largest percentage of TV journalists in Lithuania (35%) thought that between 61 – 80% of the TV journalists in Lithuania would be willing to do this, 20% thought that fewer than 20% would do, 15% – between 81 – 100%, 15% – between 21 – 40% and 10% thought that between 41 – 60%
of the journalists would be willing to do this.
There is a clear difference in the answers given by the Latvian, Norwegian and Lithuanian journalists. In particular, the Lithuanian TV journalists, but also the Latvian TV journalists, were far more likely to believe that their colleagues would be willing to produce stories with people who pay themselves or for whom somebody pays or otherwise compensates than Norwegian TV journalists believed that their colleagues would be willing to do so.
Figure 1.The anticipated number of TV journalists who would agree to produce TV stories about persons who pay or compensate for their participation.Answers given by Lithuanian, Norwegian and Latvian TV journalists to the question: “As far as you are concerned, what percentage of TV journalists in your country would agree to produce stories with people who pay themselves or for whom somebody else pays or compensates so that the person can participate in the TV programme?”
These figures should be compared to results from the calls conducted in the control method carried out in Latvia only.
Anticipated percentage of Lithuanian TV journalists who would agree to produce TV stories about persons that pay or compensate for their participation Anticipated percentage of Norwegian TV journalists who would agree to produce TV stories about persons that pay or compensate for their participation Anticipated percentage of Latvian TV journalists who would agree to produce TV stories about persons that pay or compensate for their participation
0–20% 21–40% 41–60% 61–80% 81–100% N/ A
100 80 60 40 20 0
3.2. Findings Using the Control Method
By calling key people in most of the news programmes, talk shows, discussion programs and other programmes in Latvia where it would be possible and not unnatural for the producers of the TV programme to invite guests in the studio or produce a story about people, it was possible to clarify which TV programs in Latvia do and do not accept the practice that people, organisations, companies, institutions or other entities can pay or provide services if they want to take part in a TV programme without informing the audience about the payment or service provided. As mentioned above, these calls were made by persons who presented themselves as representatives from a foreign business company and asked how much it would cost for their business representative to be interviewed and shown on the programme. Representatives of the 34 TV programmes answered in very different ways. Some people were shocked and angry over such calls, other people listed the prices right away. Some people were hesitant, asked for more information or did not give any clear answer. The answers to the question if it would be possible to be included in the programme by paying were categorised as “yes”, “probably yes”, “maybe”, “probably no” and “no”.
Representatives from 19 TV program in Latvia (56%) gave answers that was interpreted as a clear “yes” or a “probably yes” answer.
1 representative gave such an answer that it was impossible to interpret the answer as a “yes” or a “no”, consequently it was categorised as “maybe”. 41% of the TV program representatives answering the call gave a clear or rather clear “no” answer.
Table 1.Attitude of Latvian TV programme representatives toward participation of people in their programme in return for payment and without informing the audience about the existence of the payment.
Answers given by TV programme representatives from the five major TV channels in Latvia to the question if it would be possible to appear on the programme by paying and not informing the audience about the existence of the payment.
Figure 2.Attitude of Latvian TV programme representatives toward participation of people in their programme in return for payment and without informing the audience about the existence of the payment.
Answers given by TV programme representatives from the five major TV channels in Latvia to the question if it would be possible to appear on the programme by paying and not informing the audience about the existence of the payment.
Yes
Probably yes
Maybe
Probably no
No LTV1
LTV7 TV3 TV5 LNT In all In percent
Yes 2 6 0 3 3 15 44%
Probably yes 4 0 0 0 0 4 12%
Maybe 10
0 0 0 0 1 3%
Probably no 2 0 0 0 0 2 6%
No 5 0 4 1 2 12 35%
. . . .
. . . .
The main objective of the control- method, i.e., the aforementioned calls, was to create a realistic overview of the situation in the TV media market in Latvia on the issue of participation in TV programmes against payment without informing the audience about the existence of the payment. However, as a secondary result, the author also gained information on the price of taking part in the TV programmes. The prices were stated in various ways – in seconds, in minutes, per three minutes, for a short clip, for being a guest, for being the general sponsor, for the whole programme, for a month. The prices varied greatly from LVL 60 (EUR 91) for a three-minute story to LVL 1 200 + VAT (EUR 2 145) for a two-minute story.
3.3. Findings from Questionnaires and Interviews
Questionnaire answers further confirmed how widespread the described practice is. 46% of the TV journalists in Latvia said that they have produced stories involving people who paid or were paid for or otherwise compensated for. Another 43% answered that they have not produced such stories. Finally, 11% answered that they “cannot answer this question”.
Given the possibility that these 11% had produced such stories, but did not feel comfortable in admitting this, the author estimates that the correct percentage of those who have produced such stories among the journalists who filled out the questionnaire is between 46% and 57%, and most probably closer to 57% – which again is very close to the 56% figure that was gained from calling the TV programme representatives.
If it is anticipated that there would be the same correspondence between the results of the questionnaires and the control method, i.e., the calls, if the process had also been carried out in the other countries, then the conclusion would be that approximately 14% of the TV journalists in Norway and 50% of the TV journalists in Lithuania are willing to produce TV stories in which people who pay or are being paid for or otherwise compensated for can take part. It should be stressed, however, that this estimate is not based on firm data.
What we can confirm is that 86% of the TV journalists in Norway and 50% of the TV journalists in Lithuania who filled out the questionnaire said that they have not produced stories of this type.
These answers strengthen the impression that the mentioned phenomenon is more wide-spread in Lithuania and Latvia than in Norway, but the phenomenon exists in Norway, as well.
Figure 3.TV journalists who have produced TV stories involving persons who pay or are paid or compensated for, so that they can take part in TV programmes.
Answers given by TV journalists to the question: “Have you ever produced stories in which the people taking part have paid or have been paid for or otherwise compensated for by somebody else so that they can take part in the TV programme?”
Asked if they know about other TV journalists in their country who agree to let people who pay or provide other services take part in TV programmes, 93% of the TV journalists in Latvia answered “yes” and 7% “no”. In Norway, 36% of the TV journalists answered “yes” and 64% “no”, and in Lithuania, 65% of the TV journalists answered “yes”
and 35% “no”.
Yes No Don't remember Can't answer this question
100 80 60 40 20 0
Answers from Latvian TV journalists, % Answers from Norwegian TV journalists, % Answers from Lithuanian TV journalists, %
Figure 4.TV journalists who know about other TV journalists in their country who offer people a chance to take part in TV programmes in return for pay or other services.
Answers given by TV journalists to the question: “Do you know about other TV journalists in your country who offer people a chance to take part in TV programmes in return for pay or other services?”
TV journalists in Latvia and Norway are likely to rate competing TV channels more critically than their own TV channels.
64% of respondents in Latvia and 71% in Norway responded that the possibility for people to take part in TV programmes on their own TV channel is smaller than on the competing TV channels, and nobody in Latvia or Norway responded that the possibility at their own channel is bigger. In Lithuania, however, 40% responded that the possibility for people to take part in TV programmes on their own channel is bigger than on the competing TV channels, only 15% answered that it is smaller. 45% in Lithuania, 29% in Latvia and 21% in Norway responded that they “don’t know”, 4% in Latvia and 0% in Norway said that the possibility is the same as elsewhere, and 4% in Latvia and 7% in Norway did not answer the question.
Keeping in mind this evaluation, the TV journalists’ evaluation of the tendencies in the various TV channels can nevertheless give us valuable information.
Asked on which TV channel in Latvia they think there are the most frequent instances when a guest can take part in a TV programme by paying or by providing other services, 39% of the TV journalists in Latvia mentionedLatvian Public TV Channel 7. The channel that was mentioned least often in Latvia was TV3– only in 3% of the answers. 35% of the TV journalists in Norway mentioned TV3in Norway and 32% – TVNorgeas the Norwegian channels where this phenomenon is most frequently seen. The channel that was mentioned the least – or, more precisely, never mentioned by TV journalists in Norway wasNRK2 (0%). 21% of the TV journalists in Lithuania mentioned LNK and TV3in Lithuania as the Lithuanian channels where this phenomenon is most frequently seen. Nobody mentioned LRT.
Asked on which TV channel the TV journalists think the situation exists least often, 27% of the TV journalists in Latvia mentioned Latvian Public TV Channel 1, and 23% spoke of TV3.The channel that was mentioned least often by TV journalists in Latvia was TV5(1%). In Norway, 33% mentioned NRK1and NRK2. The channel that was mentioned least often by TV journalists in Norway was TVNorge(2%). In Lithuania, 65% mentioned LRT, but nobody mentioned BTVand TV3in Lithuania.
Yes No
100 80 60 40 20 0
Answers from Latvian TV journalists, % Answers from Norwegian TV journalists, % Answers from Lithuanian TV journalists, %
Figure 5.TV channels where the practice is most frequent.
TV journalists’ answer to the question: “In your opinion, on which of these TV channels in your country is it most frequently possible for guests to take part in a TV programme by paying or by providing other services?”
Figure 6.TV channels where the practice is least frequent.
TV journalists’ answer to the question: “In your opinion, on which of these TV channels in your country is it least frequently possible for guests to take part in a TV programme by paying or by providing other services?”
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Don't know Such things don't happen Equally wide-spread Regional TV (Lithuania) BTV (Lithuania) TV3 (Lithuania) LNK (Lithuania) LRT (Lithuania) TVNorge (Norway) TV3 (Norway) TV2 (Norway) NRK2 (Norway) NRK1 (Norway) TV5 (Latvia) TV3 (Latvia) LNT (Latvia) LTV7 (Latvia) LTV1 (Latvia)
Answers from Lithuanian TV journalists, % Answers from Norwegian TV journalists, % Answers from Latvian TV journalists, %
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
N/A Such things don't happen Equally wide-spread
Regional TV (Lithuania) BTV (Lithuania) TV3 (Lithuania) LNK (Lithuania) LRT (Lithuania) TVNorge (Norway) TV3 (Norway) TV2 (Norway) NRK2 (Norway) NRK1 (Norway) TV5 (Latvia) TV3 (Latvia) LNT (Latvia) LTV7 (Latvia) LTV1 (Latvia)
Answers from Lithuanian TV journalists, % Answers from Norwegian TV journalists, % Answers from Latvian TV journalists, %