Recent Riigikogu-approved amendments to the Language Act will ban the public screening of all but children's content dubbed into a foreign language.

In practice, this means most dubbed programming on ETV+, ERR's Russian-language channel, must shift to subtitles.

"From the outset, this provision has been intended to cover both movie theaters and other audiovisual media," said Kairi Kaldoja, deputy secretary general for language policy at the Ministry of Education and Research.

Taklaja, however, said the channel relies heavily on imported programming and can no longer source Russian-language content from Russia or Ukraine, leaving most of its lineup dubbed material.

"I predict we're going to lose a lot of viewers," she said. "Scheduled TV programming is mostly watched by older audiences. They aren't used to subtitles because so much Russian-language content is produced around the world."

The editor-in-chief said ETV+ reaches about 120,000 weekly viewers, more than 60 percent of them over 65.

Estonian-language content exempt

Lawmakers argue the change will increase exposure to Estonian.

MP Margit Sutrop (Reform), a member of the Riigikogu's Cultural Affairs Committee, said ETV+ viewers currently have little chance to hear Estonian.

"What's actually much more important is that Russian-speaking audiences hear Estonian-language interviews with politicians or interesting programming — whether "Impulss" or whatever else," Sutrop said. "That way, Russian-speaking viewers hear political content in Estonian as well."

After talks with ministries, however, officials clarified Friday that dubbing foreign-language content into another foreign language is banned, but dubbing from Estonian into foreign languages will continue to be allowed.

"We can still dub Estonian-language content into foreign languages to ensure that those who only speak a foreign language still remain within the necessary information space in Estonia," Kaldoja said, adding that this includes Estonian-language news and interviews.

"But anything originally in a foreign language can no longer be dubbed into another foreign language," she added.

Lawmaker questions ETV+ funding

Sutrop, meanwhile, also questioned continued funding for ETV+, saying the debate has focused on whether the channel should continue heavily subsidizing Russian-language versions of Estonian content.

"Shouldn't we be doing more to support people learning Estonian so they can access information that way?" Sutrop asked.

Taklaja defended the channel's role, saying it helps keep a large Russian-speaking community informed.

"In turbulent times, we have to keep our very large Russian-speaking community — which essentially accounts for a quarter or third of our population — within our information space so they understand what's going on in this country and beyond," she said.

Reducing dubbing could still prove a blow to ETV+ viewership, Taklaja added, noting audiences expect a full mix of informative content and entertainment in one place and have plenty of Russian-language alternatives to turn to instead.

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