Since 2007 we have been actively working with media transparency. We presented two studies: an investigative Lithuanian, Latvian, and Swedish media study (2009, in Lithuanian), and a qualitative interview (in Lithuanian) with businesspersons’ results (they were asked about their experience working with the media and their opinions of it, 2007). We organise “Breakfast of Journalists” initiative, and in 2013 we started a media ownership site STIRNA.INFO.

On the website STIRNA.INFO you will find information about media source ownership (from 1996 to 2021) and how various media sources are connected to each other as well as with businesses. Also, information about 2010 – 2021 public sector transparency and information services procurement as well as winning company connections to politicians. More information can be found at: www.stirna.info.

“Breakfast of Journalists” – is an initiative we started in 2009 with the aim of familiarising Lithuanian journalists and journalism students with best journalism practices abroad and to encourage journalist community discussions about professional ethics, transparency, and accountability.

• “How are we spending publicity and informational funds?”, 2022.
• “Use of EU publicity funds corruption risk analysis”, 2017 (in Lithuanian).
• “Media accountability in Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden (investigative research)”, 2009 (in Lithuanian).
• “Use of EU publicity funds corruption risk analysis”, 2007 (in Lithuanian).
• “Media transparency”, a collection of articles, 2007 (in Lithuanian).
• “Towards more transparent media”, 2007 (in Lithuanian).

Media sources transparency:

• “Last year 68 politicians and their spouses were in charge of one in eight media sources”, 2022.
• “Last year 43 politicians, state officials, or their spouses were in charge of 83 media sources”, 2021.
• “One in ten media sources in Lithuania is controlled by politicians and state officials”, 2020.
• “Last year politicians and state officials were in charge of 57 media sources”. 2017.
• “Media source owners”, 2013 (in Lithuanian).

Publicity funds transparency:

• “Last year 68 politicians and their spouses were in charge of one in eight media sources”, 2022.
• “Estimated and spent funds for publications by ministries value differs by at least 30 percent”, 2022 (in Lithuanian).
• “For companies connected to politicians – every 5th euro from municipality publicity funds”, 2019.
• “One in two municipalities bought from media sources connected to politicians”, 2019.
• “European Union publicity funds are influencing media content”, 2017 (in Lithuanian).

Insights in short:

• Infographic “How transparently are municipalities spending publicity funds?”, 2022.
• Infographic “What connects politicians and media? No. 2”, 2019.
• Infographic “What connects politicians and media?”, 2019 (in Lithuanian).

• “Municipality publicity funds – who gets the tastiest bite?”, 2019 (in Lithuanian).
• “What is necessary for LRT to become trustworthy and independent?”, 2018 (in Lithuanian).
• Seminar “How to analyse unprocessed data and find stories within?”, 2015 (in Lithuanian).

• “TI Lithuania suggestions for media transparency”, 2015 (in Lithuanian).

• In 2023, a Public information developers and distributors participants’ data registering informational system (VIRSIS) was developed, revealing more information about media source owners and funds they receive from political advertising and support. For more information, visit: www.virsis.lt.
• Public Procurement Office, publicity and informational services procurement review (in Lithuanian).