Media
Cultural and Scientific Institutions

The Latvian Academy of Sciences was founded in 1946. As of January 1970, it encompasses 14 research institutes organized into three divisions (physics and technical science. chemistry and biology. and social sciences). plus a general library. Its presidents have all been ethnic Latvians, although K. Plaude, president since 1960, and both of the vice presidents spent the inter-war years in the Soviet Union. The Director of the Institute of History, A. Drizulis, who is also a secretary of the CC CP Latvia. was reared and educated in Russia. At the end of 1968. the Academy had 23 full members and 25 corresponding members. Twenty of the former and 19 of the latter have Latvian surnames; the rest appear to be of Slavic origin. [1]

The 1971 production of the Riga Film Studio included 7 full-length films (six features and one documentary). and 79 shorter films. cartoons and newsreels. There are 1,172 movie houses and 129 mobile film units in Latvia. The average citizen of the republic goes to the movies 16 times per year. somewhat less than the average Soviet citizen (19 times). [2] Russian-language and foreign films are shown with Latvian subtitles. This substitution for the Russian language occurs only in the Baltic republics and Kazakhstan. [3]

Except for cinematography. publishing and the electronic media. cultural affairs in Latvia are guided by the Ministry of Culture. Its guidance includes budgetary allocations as well as well as controls over the "ideological and .artistic quality" of dramatic, musical, and artistic works. [4] Museums, libraries, clubs. parks and the zoo are all under the Ministry of Culture. V. Kaupuzh, a musician reared in independent Latvia, has been Minister of Culture since 1962. [5]

Ten professional theaters were operating in Latvia at the end of 1970, including the State Opera and Ballet Theater. Seven are located in Riga, and three in other cities. Four perform only in Latvian, two only in Russian, and four perform in both languages. Amateur theater has always been very popular. The best amateur companies are awarded the title of "People's Theaters." Eighteen of these existed in 1969, 13 Latvian, 3 Russian, and one (in Rezekne) with both Latvian and Russian companies. [6]

1. LME: I: 411. 677; III: 42. 606, 761-763.
2. Nar. obraz., 1971: 327, 330; Nar. khoz. Latvii 1972: 358-359.
3. Taagepera, Estonian Events (December), 1970: 23: 5, citing Sirp ja Vasar (September 4), 1970.
4. LME, 1969: II: 580.
5. LME, 1969: II: 56.
6. LME, 1969: II: 708-709; and 1970: III: 501; Rutkis, 1967: 552-553.

• Attitudes of the Major Soviet Nationalites Latvia and the Latvians, prepared by Frederic T. Harned - A Personal Introduction
• General Information (Part A) - I. Territory
• General Information (Part A) - II. Economy
• General Information (Part A) - III. History
• General Information (Part A) - IV. Demography
• General Information (Part A) - V. Culture
• General Information (Part A) - VI. External Relations
• Media (Part B) - I. Language Data
• Media (Part B) - II. Local Media
• Media (Part B) - III. Educational Institutions
• Media (Part B) - IV. Cultural and Scientific Institutions
• Next National Attitudes (Part C) - I. Review of Factors Forming National Attitudes
• National Attitudes (Part C) - II. Basic Views of Scholars on National Attitudes
• National Attitudes (Part C) - III. Recent Manifestations of Nationalism
• References