MTG rejigs Baltics management, expands local production

Modern Times Group (MTG) is making a series of changes to the management of Viasat Broadcasting in the Baltic region and is to expand its production company Paprika Latino in the region.

MTG has promoted Baiba Zuzena to the post of CEO of its Latvian free TV and radio operations. She was previously chief operating officer. Raivo Rosts will remain in his role as CEO of pay TV in the Baltics.

Kaspars Ozolins will meanwhile leave his position as CEO of MTG’s Baltic broadcasting operations, to be replaced by central European broadcasting executive VP Marek Singer, and will join Paprika Latino as head of Baltic operations in the autumn.

MTG is expanding the central European production unit in the Baltic states, adding Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to its current portfolio of seven countries. MTG Studios, MTG’s content division, acquired a 53% stake in Paprika Latino in June 2012.

“Baiba has been instrumental in establishing MTG as the number one media house in Latvia, where we currently operate six free-TV channels and she is the right person to develop further growth and make strategic decisions in the country,” said Singer. “I would also like to thank Kaspars for his dedication and the business acumen he has demonstrated in establishing MTG as the leading pan-Baltic free TV and pay TV broadcaster and DTH satellite operator and I am very much looking forward to working closer with this exciting market.”