Before the independence from the Soviet Union (USSR) in 1990, Lithuanian print media sector served mainly as a propaganda instrument of the Communist Party of Lithuania (LKP). Alternative and uncontrolled press began to appear in the country starting from 1988, when the Initiative Group of the Reform Movement of Lithuania Sąjūdis was established. After the declaration of independence the government stopped interfering in the media outlets which for the most part were first privatised to their journalists and employees and later to local businessman and companies. Currently media ownership in Lithuania is concentrated among a small number of domestic and foreign companies.
In 2017 Freedom House[1] defined Lithuania's press freedom status as “free", while the 2022 World Press Freedom Index prepared annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) states that journalists in Lithuania work in a "relatively favourable" environment. RSF's Index ranks Lithuania 9th among 180 countries. A national survey conducted in October 2017 found that only 37.3% of respondents trust mass media.[2]
- ^ "Lithuania". Freedomhouse.org. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
- ^ "Market & Opinion Research Centre "VILMORUS"". Vilmorus.lt. Retrieved 9 November 2017.