INTERVIEW

ERR’s funding crisis: How it “became a victim of its own efficiency”

20 February 2026

The head of ERR, Erik Roose, speaks to PMA about their funding crisis, how the European Media Freedom Act is shaking things up in Estonia, and why ERR became designated as an “Operator of Essential Services”.  

In late January, ERR’s Chair spoke to the public broadcaster’s news division and gave a grave warning: “There’s still this attitude of ‘Try to get by. We don’t really have the money, but hang in there.’ That used to be a kind of meme in old Russian political culture. But it’s not funny to me anymore because this is our reality now. And the situation is genuinely critical.”

Several decades of deprioritising public media means ERR is one of the worst-funded public broadcasters in Europe, costing just eight cents per day for an Estonian citizen. So why has the situation become “critical”? More broadly, it’s a difficult time for European public media, with many facing funding uncertainty, none more so than ERR’s Baltic neighbour in Lithuania. With the European Media Freedom Act designed to strengthen public media funding, there are funding reforms planned for ERR, but are they sufficient?

Read more: The two questions shaping the public media funding debate in 2026

The Public Media Alliance’s Harry Lock spoke with Erik Roose, Chair of the ERR Management Board, where they unpacked the major challenges facing the public broadcaster today.

Harry Lock: In your recent interview, you mentioned that ERR is operating off what is, in real terms, a budget 1/3 less than it was in 2008. What has happened over the past 18 years which has led ERR to this position? 

Erik Roose: Maybe we can say that ERR has been a victim of its own efficiency. As a reaction to the decrease in funding or inflation, we have initiated permanent and annual efficiency measures. And so far, it has more or less worked out. During the last 17 years, political leaders regardless of parties somehow have reached an unwritten consensus, that all added money to the public broadcaster goes into new programmes (like a Russian-language TV programme) or new duties (like cybersecurity or resilience tasks), plus some targeted payroll adjustments. At the same time, budget for our core – we can even say fundamental – programmes and content has not been increased over the years. That said, costs have been growing constantly.

Fiscally it explains how this comparable budget number has dropped so heavily. Because, if you add basic resources into all those new tasks for extra financing, the overall amount seems much bigger. This way the fundamental under-financing is hidden behind this cumulative number. On the other hand it also means that the freedom of choices of public broadcasting editors and managers to create new content or initiatives has heavily decreased over the years, as there are inevitable programmes and activities that we target in our budget first.

HL: At the same time, these are difficult times for public media worldwide – trying to remain competitive with global platforms, ensuring they’re providing a universal service, and also bolstering information resilience against disinformation campaigns. Is ERR, at its current level of funding, able to solve this challenge? 

ER: Until now, we have managed to achieve this goal, but with underfunding it is getting harder and harder. Against global platforms, small language countries like Estonia, were somehow protected, having a natural defence-shield in a local media market. But with the development of large-language-models and AI, this privilege has disappeared and now we are facing “a perfect storm” – worldwide competition, English-fluent young generations, budget cuts, disinformation and deep fakes.

HL: Can public media do anything collectively about it? 

ER: I believe that we try and we do, but unfortunately until now this hasn’t been enough. The European Media Freedom Act is one example, but we will see in near future, how it works.

HL: Do you see ERR as part of critical infrastructure for Estonia’s resilience against disinformation, or crisis? 

ER: Yes, and about year ago it was also implemented into separate law – ERR has now a status of Operator of Essential Services (like hospitals, telcos or banks). It brings along the concrete demand to guarantee a certain amount of different media services regardless of crisis or security situation. In order to fulfil these duties we have had the separate targeted funding in all spectre of preparedness. It contains technical solutions, cyber security instruments, readiness solutions in case of power shortages, alternative production sights etc.

Read more: What ‘critical infrastructure’ means for public media

HL: Estonia is very well regarded across Europe for its advanced cybersecurity capabilities. The need for ERR to have the highest level of cybersecurity is imperative. How are you progressing with this? Are you confident with your current level of capabilities?

ER: We have done a lot to protect our digital and cyber platforms and databases. However, we must understand, that with limited money it is impossible to be 100% safe when hit by targeted, motivated and experienced attackers. Thus the other half of the effort must go into educating your staff to avoid inhouse mistakes and prepare alternative solutions for production in the case of breakdown. Additionally, there are trainings and exercises repeatedly with worst case scenario simulations.

HL: Do you think public media are investing enough in cybersecurity and are aware of the threats they’re being faced with?  

ER: Certainly not, but the management decision starts with defining the real risks and setting the priorities. The starting challenge is understanding your real vulnerability. Without getting the right diagnosis, you cannot decide or plan the treatment.