User:Clement Julhia/sandbox

What is BNN?
Baltic News Network is a Latvian news website, which was launched officially on the 1st of September 2010. It was founded by Fred Zimmer, who is still the owner of the network. This constitutes an addition to Zimmer’s network of businesses in the field of current affairs, including Pergolis Consulting and Presslounge, a press-observer service. Despite its name, BNN, in terms of coverage and audience is less a Baltic network than one which is Latvian and Russian, and can be read in English, Latvian and Russian, but not in Lithuanian nor in Estonian nor in Finnish.

Deontology
In terms of deontology, the network’s mission statement is as follows: “Provide objective and immediate information on both Latvian and global economic, social and politic events.”. What’s more Baltic News Network is a part of the Independent Media Association.

Political influence: the significance of Russia
BNN’s mission statement is clearly oriented towards journalistic neutrality. All the same, there have been several contentious positions within BNN’s coverage of current events. In particular, it is often critical of Russian policy and influence in the Baltics ins general and Latvia in particular. For example, Fanny Lundgren quotes BNN in writing: “The largest risks of Baltic States remain largely related to political and economic developments in Russia”. It is also rather explicit in pointing to a causal relation between Russian policy and the social and political situation within Baltic states. To take some examples, it has accused a Russian channel of being responsible for negative evolutions among Baltic society, specifically accusing it of “war propaganda, hatred and inciting discord, despite several warnings”. Even further, BNN has argued that Russian cyberattacks were a sign that the Russian government was “active in undermining Latvia’s interests”. This is the case because, according to Lundgren, this has consequences on the population’s opinions and their loyalty. It has given food for thought on a highly sensitive matter in Baltic states, which emerged as it happens in Lithuania in 2015: the possibility of revealing the names of former KGB agents from the times when these countries were governed by Moscow. Though as one would expect there are opposing views on the matter, Fanny Lundgren reports BNN’s position that the “current political environment” should lead one to think those names should “remain hidden”. On geopolitical matters, specifically on NATO reinforcements in the Baltic states, BNN has taken a relatively favourable position, arguing that the increase in NATO presence – in men and armour – was motivated by the will that NATO members – in this case, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia – are “well-protected”.