Language Law Amendments Impose Dubbing Ban on ETV+

The Riigikogu passed language law amendments on Wednesday banning the public broadcast of foreign-language dubbed films and programmes, with the exception of children's content. ETV+ editor-in-chief Ekaterina Taklaja fears this will result in a significant decline in viewership. However, in subsequent discussions, an interpretation was reached allowing the channel to continue dubbing Estonian-language original productions.

Estonia is implementing language law amendments that will significantly affect the programming of ETV+, the Russian-language television channel of the national broadcaster. The Riigikogu passed a new language law on Wednesday, 18 June 2026, which among other things bans the public broadcast of foreign-language dubbed works, with an exception applying only to children's content.

Most of ETV+ programming is dubbed

According to ETV+ editor-in-chief Ekaterina Taklaja, the majority of the channel's programming consists of documentaries, series, and films purchased from abroad and dubbed from foreign languages. Since it is no longer possible to purchase Russian-language content from Russia and Ukraine, the channel has relied on material dubbed from other languages.

Taklaja predicts that the new restriction will lead to a noticeable decline in viewership. "My prediction is that we will lose a lot of viewers precisely because linear television is still watched by older audiences, people over 65 make up the majority of TV viewers. Firstly, they are not accustomed to it, because a lot of content in the world is produced in Russian, they are not used to reading subtitles," she said.

Currently, ETV+ is watched regularly by 120,000 people, more than 60 per cent of whom are over 65 years old.

Information space and the Estonian language

Margit Sutrop, a member of the Riigikogu Culture Committee, raised the question of whether the state should support ETV+ on such a large scale when it is dubbing Estonian-language content into Russian. She emphasised the importance of allowing Russian-speaking viewers to also hear Estonian-language political content. "Frankly, I see this more as an opportunity to initiate a discussion. ETV+ currently relies quite heavily on Estonian-language interviews and Estonian-language programmes, so our Russian-speaking listeners will only hear the Russian language," said Sutrop.

Interpretation permits dubbing of Estonian-language original productions

On Friday, 19 June, an agreement was reached with representatives of the Ministry of Education and Culture that the ban applies only to foreign-language material. ETV+ is permitted to continue dubbing Estonian-language original productions into Russian.

Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education Kairi Kaldoja explained: "It remains possible to dub Estonian-language content into foreign languages in order to ensure that those who speak only a foreign language are still in the necessary information space in Estonia."

ETV+ editor-in-chief in turn emphasised the importance of maintaining the Russian-speaking community. "We still need to try to keep the Russian-speaking community, which is a very large community, essentially a quarter or a third of the population, within our agenda, so that it is clear what is happening in this country and what is happening beyond its borders," said Taklaja.