Experts outline the possible future of Finland’s Yle
In Finland, public broadcaster Yle marked its 100th anniversary, while media and cultural experts surveyed outlined possible directions for its development over the next century. Among the main topics, they named artificial intelligence, social media, proprietary digital services and preserving the value of live broadcasts, YLE News reports.
Yle began with radio and television broadcasting and later developed the Yle Areena service, the Yle.fi website and social media channels. Today, an increasing number of people get news through social media, while international streaming companies compete for audience attention.
Proprietary platforms and live broadcasts
Media researcher and University of Turku professor Anu Koivunen believes that Yle should not limit itself to distributing short videos on third-party platforms. In her view, a presence on social media is necessary, but the broadcaster must also develop its own services.
Koivunen suggested that one possible direction could be a platform featuring content from Yle and external authors that would be geopolitically secure and comply, among other things, with EU data security rules. She is also convinced that live broadcasts will retain their value. The expert cited sports competitions, the Elämäni biisi show, the UMK contest and Eurovision as examples.
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Social media, history and artificial intelligence
Film and television critic Liina Virtanen called on Yle to pay more attention to reflecting on Finland’s history, historical documentary projects and drama. She also advocated for more political satire and emphasized the broadcaster’s role as an important financier of Finland’s film and television industry.
Venla Niinilampi, chair of the Vostok ry journalism student organization at Tampere University, stated that Yle should develop its social media presence, where young audiences are. According to her, videos should capture attention immediately, while work on social media can strengthen the perception of Yle as a reliable source of information.
Olli Seuri, associate professor of journalism and editor-in-chief of the Uusi Juttu media outlet, suggested that people may increasingly follow news through major platforms or AI assistants in the future. At the same time, in his opinion, independent journalistic media and public broadcasters will remain an alternative to international digital platforms. If Yle news were created from scratch today, it would be much more digital and perhaps more interactive than traditional radio and television, Seuri believes.
