Television in Finland
Television was introduced in Finland in 1955. Color television started in 1969[1][2] and was introduced gradually, with most programs in color by the late 1970s. All terrestrial analogue stations stopped broadcasting on 1 September 2007 after the introduction of digital television; cable providers were allowed to continue analog broadcasting in their networks until 1 March 2008.
Typically, foreign-language content is subtitled, retaining the original language soundtrack. This includes interview responses in news or magazine programmes not given in the main language of that programme. Foreign programming intended for children is, however, usually dubbed into one of the national languages. Regardless of the intended audience or original language, many shows receive a Finnish and/or Swedish title which is used in programme schedules.
In 2016 it was said that 47% of people watch via terrestrial antenna, 43% via cable, 11% via IPTV and 4% via satellite.[3]
History
![](../I/First_television_transmission_in_Finland_is_starting.jpg.webp)
On 24 May 1955, the first public television broadcast in Finland was aired by the Radioinsinööriseura (later Elektroniikkainsinöörien seura).[4] The project eventually developed into TES-TV (later Tesvisio), the first television channel in Finland that began regular broadcasts on 21 March 1956.[5][6] The public broadcaster Yleisradio began their television project in 1957, with regular broadcasts starting from 1 January 1958. Suomen Televisio (now Yle TV1), as the channel was called, also featured commercial programming from MTV, a separate channel that leased programming blocks from Yleisradio. This arrangement would last until 1993.
![](../I/YLE-Ristisana.jpg.webp)
Yleisradio acquired Tesvisio in 1964 and reorganized its assets into a second TV channel (now Yle TV2). Despite MTV's demands that the second channel be in their control, Yleisradio maintained ownership of the second channel but sold MTV more time on it. In 1986, a third channel Kolmoskanava was introduced as a joint venture between Yleisradio, MTV and Nokia. MTV gradually purchased Kolmoskanava into their ownership and in 1993, turned it into MTV3. Once MTV3 was introduced, MTV moved all of its programming there.
Since 2021, around 75% of the Finnish population watch television content online via YouTube, Vimeo, and other, in addition to online TV broadcasting companies.[7]
Finnish programming
MTV3
- Bosch
- Broadchurch
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- CSI: Miami
- CSI: NY
- Crisis
- Emmerdale
- Hostages
- Legends
- Madam Secretary
- Major Crimes
- NCIS: New Orleans
- Prison Break
- Survivor
- The Amazing Race
- The Apprentice
- The Bold and the Beautiful
- The Closer
- The Mentalist
- The Night Manager
- Wallander
- 24
Diva Channel
- Army Wives
- The Biggest Loser: Toinen mahdollisuus
- Chicago Fire
- Bates Motel
- Bones
- Kallista kipua
- Sex and the City – Sinkkuelämää
- Chance
- West Wing
- Revolution
- C.S.I.
- Num3rot
- Gossip Girl
- Kuuntelija
- Nurse Jackie
- Smash
- Dexter
- Nuoret poliisit
- Yli synkän virran
- Burn Notice
- The Real Housewives franchise
- Rikoksista pahin
- Wild at Heart
- Medium
- Psych
- Shattered
- Ruma Betty
- Kova laki: Erikoisyksikkö
- Kova laki
- Kova laki: Rikollinen mieli
- Kova laki: Los Angeles
- Mike & Molly
- Tyhjätaskut
- Orange Is the New Black
- Brooklyn 99
- Kunnian miehet
- Downton Abbey
- The Mindy Project
- C.S.I. Cyber
- Havaiji 5-0
- Tarkka-ampujat
- The Oprah Winfrey Show
- Good Wife
- House
- Muodon vuoksi
- Mad Love
- Tuho-osasto
- Monk
- Vampyyripäiväkirjat
- Keeping Up with the Kardashians
- Eureka
- The Originals
- Isojen poikien leikit
- Event
Digital terrestrial
Digital terrestrial television was launched on 21 August 2001. The analogue networks continued its broadcasts alongside the digital ones until 1 September 2007, when they were shut down nationwide.
Before the analogue switchoff, the terrestrial network had three multiplexes: MUX A, MUX B and MUX C. MUX A contained the channels of the public broadcaster Yleisradio and MUX B was shared between the two commercial broadcasters: MTV3 and Nelonen. MUX C contained channels of various other broadcasters. After the analogue closedown, a fourth multiplex named MUX E was launched.
In addition the free-to-air broadcasts, two companies are providing encryption cards for pay television: Canal Digital and PlusTV. Canal Digital was the first to launch, originally only offering four Canal+ channels (the Disney Channel was added later on). PlusTV was launched in November 2006, originally only broadcasting MTV3 Max and Subtv Juniori (later on adding Subtv Leffa and Urheilu+kanava). Both packages got more channels with the launch of MUX E in September 2007: SVT Europa and MTV3 Fakta was added to PlusTV and KinoTV was added to Canal Digital, while Discovery Channel, Eurosport, MTV Finland and Nickelodeon were added to both packages.
September 2007 also saw the launch of the SveaTV package in Ostrobothnia which broadcasts channels from Sweden.
The digital channel YLE Extra was closed on 31 December 2007 and was replaced by YLE TV1+, a simulcast of TV1 with subtitles included in the video stream. TV1+ was closed on 4 August 2008 due to its low viewing share.[8]
Finland has started DVB-T2 switchover that will be finished on 31.3.2020.
Cable
Analogue cable television were switched off in Finland on 1 March 2008, but digital cable television is widespread all over the country and its infrastructure used for cable internet services.
The major cable operators are DNA, Welho and TTV, operating in Turku, Helsinki and Tampere areas. All pay television uses digital broadcasts, DVB-C set-top boxes have been available since 2001.
Satellite
Digital satellite television started in Nordic countries, and also in Finland, by Multichoice Nordic pay-TV platform during 1996. The first set-top boxes available were manufactured by Nokia and Pace. After that the service merged with Canal Digital in late 1997. Competing pay television Viasat and Yle's channel TV Finland started digital broadcasts in 1999.
Canal Digital launched some HDTV channels, like Discovery HD, on their digital paytv-package during 2006. Pan-European HDTV-channel Euro1080 HD1 is available also in Finland.
List of channels
All Yle channels are broadcast free-to-air and so are a few commercial ones including MTV3, Nelonen, MTV Sub, Jim, TV5, Star Channel and Kutonen. Yle channels are state owned and are funded by a ring fenced so-called "Yle tax".
Most of the channels are the same throughout mainland Finland. In Ostrobothnia and Åland there is an extra multiplex available which provides encrypted channels from Sweden, along with respective local stations,[9] and of course due to overlapping signals, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian and Estonian stations are able to be seen near the border areas and vice versa.
DVB-T Channels
No. | Channel Name | Free-to-air | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Yle TV1 | Yes | documentaries, news, politics, satire, series, films |
2. | Yle TV2 | Yes | sports, entertainment, series, films, children's programming |
3. | MTV3 | Yes | films, series, sports, news |
4. | Nelonen | Yes | films, series, sports, news |
5. | Yle Teema & Fem | Yes | culture, sciences and learning. Also programming by the Swedish department of Yle |
6. | MTV Sub | Yes | imported series, films, reality, sports |
7. | TV5 | Yes | entertainment, films, series, documentaries |
8. | Liv | Yes | women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries |
9. | Jim | Yes | men's programmes, reality, documentaries, sports |
10. | Kutonen | Yes | men's programmes, music, films, series, documentaries |
11. | TLC | Yes | women's programmes, lifestyle |
12. | Star Channel | Yes | series, films, documentaries |
13. | MTV Ava | Yes | women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries |
14. | Hero | Yes | imported series and films |
15. | AlfaTV | Yes | programmes for minorities, religious programmes |
16. | Frii | Yes | women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, documentaries |
17. | Eveo | Yes | Schlager music |
18. | Livechat.fi | Yes | adult entertainment |
19. | DeeD | Yes | programmes for young adults, content created by social media influencers |
20. | National Geographic | Yes | nature, history, documentaries |
26. | MT | Yes | harness racing |
30. | One Way TV | Yes | music videos |
33. | OnniTV | Yes |
DVB-T2 channels
No. | Channel Name | Free-to-air | Description | HD | Frequency |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
21. | Yle TV1 HD | Yes | High-definition simulcast of Yle TV1 | Yes | VHF |
22. | Yle TV2 HD | Yes | High-definition simulcast of Yle TV2 | Yes | VHF |
23. | MTV3 HD | No | High-definition simulcast of MTV3 | Yes | VHF |
24. | Nelonen HD | Yes | High-definition simulcast of Nelonen | Yes | UHF |
25. | Yle Teema & Fem HD | Yes | High-definition simulcast of Yle Teema & Fem | Yes | VHF |
27. | TV5 HD | Yes | High-definition simulcast of TV5 | Yes | VHF |
40. | MTV Max HD | No | High-definition simulcast of MTV Max | Yes | VHF |
41. | Eurosport 1 HD | No | High-definition simulcast of Eurosport 1 | Yes | VHF |
42. | MTV Max | No | sports, outdoors, documentaries, programming for men | No | UHF |
43. | MTV Juniori | No | children's programming | No | UHF |
44. | Discovery Channel | No | documentaries, science | No | UHF |
45. | Eurosport 2 HD | No | High-definition simulcast of Eurosport 2 | Yes | VHF |
46. | CNN International | No | news | No | UHF |
47. | Investigation Discovery | No | documentaries, science | No | UHF |
48. | National Geographic Wild | No | nature, history, documentaries | No | UHF |
49. | Animal Planet | No | nature, documentaries | No | UHF |
50. | Disney Junior | No | children's programming | No | UHF |
52. | Disney Channel | No | children's programming | No | UHF |
53. | MTV Aitio HD | No | High-definition simulcast of MTV Aitio | Yes | VHF |
54. | MTV Viihde | No | series, films | No | UHF |
55. | MTV Urheilu 1 HD | No | High-definition simulcast of MTV Urheilu 1 | Yes | VHF |
56. | MTV Urheilu 2 HD | No | High-definition simulcast of MTV Urheilu 2 | Yes | VHF |
58. | Nick Jr. | No | children's programming | No | UHF |
59. | Liiga 1 HD | No | High-definition simulcast of Liiga 1 | Yes | VHF |
60. | V Film Action HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Film Action | Yes | VHF |
61. | V Film Premiere HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Film Premiere | Yes | VHF |
62. | V Sport 2 Suomi HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Sport Suomi 2 | Yes | VHF |
63. | V Sport 1 Suomi HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Sport Suomi 1 | Yes | VHF |
64. | V Sport 1 HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Sport 1 | Yes | VHF |
65. | V Sport Vinter HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Sport Vinter | Yes | VHF |
66. | V Sport + Suomi HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Sport + Suomi | Yes | VHF |
67. | V Sport Golf HD | No | High-definition simulcast of V Sport Golf | Yes | VHF |
69. | AdultTV.fi | No | adult entertainment | No | UHF |
111. | V Sport Live 1 | No | live sports | No | UHF |
112. | V Sport Live 2 | No | live sports | No | UHF |
113. | V Sport Live 3 | No | live sports | No | UHF |
114. | V Sport Live 4 | No | live sports | No | UHF |
115. | V Sport Live 5 | No | live sports | No | UHF |
Viewing shares
Channels | 1988 [10] |
1990 [10] |
1994 [11] |
1996 [12][13] |
1998 [13][14] |
2000 [13][15] |
2002 [13][16] |
2004 [13][17] |
2005 [13][17] |
2006 [18] |
2007 [19] |
2008 [20] |
2009 [21] |
2010 [22] |
2011 [23] |
2012 [24] |
2013 [25] |
2014 [26] |
2015 [27] |
2016 [28] |
2017 [29] |
2018 [30] |
2019 [31] |
2020 [32] |
2021 [33] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yle TV1 | 34 | 33 | 25 | 26.7 | 25 | 22.6 | 23.6 | 24.6 | 24.5 | 23.8 | 23.8 | 24.1 | 21.9 | 22.2 | 23.3 | 24.8 | 26.0 | 25.8 | 27.9 | 28.1 | 28.9 | 27.7 | 28.4 | 29.7 | 27.0 |
Yle TV2 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 21.5 | 21 | 19.7 | 21.8 | 20.3 | 19.1 | 20.0 | 17.4 | 16.8 | 17.7 | 18.9 | 16.9 | 13.2 | 11.9 | 13.8 | 11.0 | 12.4 | 11.3 | 13.0 | 11.9 | 9.9 | 13.3 |
MTV3 | 46 | 44.6 | 42.2 | 40.4 | 37.0 | 34.7 | 32.6 | 29.0 | 25.7 | 22.9 | 22.8 | 21.6 | 21.8 | 20.0 | 19.0 | 17.3 | 17.8 | 16.3 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 16.3 | 17.4 | 17.7 | ||
Nelonen[nb 1] | 2.7 | 7 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 12.4 | 11.5 | 11.9 | 10.2 | 10.0 | 9.9 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 7.9 | |||
Yle Fem[nb 2] | 2 | 2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.0 | ||||||||||
Yle Teema | 0.6 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.1 | |||||||||
MTV Sub[nb 3] | 0.5 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.3 | |||||
TV5[nb 4] | 2.6 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | ||||||||||||||
Liv | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.9 | ||||||||||
Jim[nb 5] | 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.5 | |||||||||
Kutonen[nb 4] | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.5 | |||||||||
TLC | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 1.8 | |||||||||||||||||||
Star Channel[nb 6] | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.4 | |||||||||||||
MTV Ava[nb 7] | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | |||||||||||||
Hero | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | |||||||||||||||||
Frii | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
National Geographic | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
C More Total Pay TV | 0.2 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.5 | |||||||||
Discovery Channel | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | ||||||||||
Music TV | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | ||||||||
Nelonen Pay TV | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | |||||||||||||
Nelonen Sport[nb 8] | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Yle Extra[nb 9] | 0.7 | 0.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes
- January 1990 - May 1997 PTV4
- 1988 - August 2006 YLE FST. FST's output was included in the programming of YLE's two main television channels, YLE TV1 and YLE TV2. August 2001 - March 2012 YLE FST5
- February 2000 - August 2001 TVTV!. August 2001 - January 2008 Subtv. January 2008 - December 2022 Sub.
- The Voice and TV5 operated in same channel from September 2008 to April 2011. March 2004 - August 2012 The Voice
- February 2002 - February 2007 Nelonen Plus
- December 2009 - April 2012 SuomiTV. April 2012 - January 2023 FOX.
- March 2008 - January 2011 MTV3 AVA. January 2011 - December 2022 AVA.
- August 2001 - February 2010 Urheilukanava.
- August 2001 - April 2007 YLE24.
See also
References
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- Hahtola, Minttu (28 February 2012). "Tietoisku: Väritelevisiolupa". Yle Elävä Arkisto (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- "Antenni-TV:n katsojille luvassa virityshetkiä – kanavat muuttuvat toukokuussa". 23 March 2017.
- Keinonen, Heidi (2011). Kamppailu yleistelevisiosta. TES-TV:n, Mainos-TV:n ja Tesvision merkitykset suomalaisessa televisiokulttuurissa 1956–1964 (in Finnish). Tampere: Tampere University Press. ISBN 978-951-44-8369-1.
- Uusitalo, Kari (1981). Suomen Hollywood on kuollut - Kotimaisen elokuvan ahdinkovuodet 1956-1963 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Suomen Elokuvasäätiö. p. 20. ISBN 951-9349-21-9.
- Kortti, Jukka (2003). Modernisaatiomurroksen kaupalliset merkit: 60-luvun suomalainen televisiomainonta (in Finnish). Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. p. 25. ISBN 9789517465236.
- "Finland: online video service usage 2021". Statista. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- "Ylen TV1+ - palvelu päättyy elokuussa" [Yle's TV1+ - service ends in August] (in Finnish). Digita Oy. 2008-07-11. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
- "SveaTV-kanalplatser". VLT. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
- "Television:Television: channel shares 1999 - 2009 (Excel)". Tilastokeskus. 15 December 2010. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
columns: B, C, D, E
- "Television: Television: channel shares 1994 - 2004 (Excel)". Tilastokeskus. 12 October 2005. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- "Alma Media, Aamulehti Group, MTV Group - Annual Report 1997" (PDF). Alma Media, Aamulehti Group, MTV Group. 1998. p. 21. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- "Television: Television: channel shares 1995 - 2005 (Excel)". Tilastokeskus. 9 November 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- "Alma Media - Annual Report 1998" (PDF). Alma Media. 1999. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- "Alma Media - Annual Report 2000" (PDF). Alma Media. 2001. p. 29. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- "YLE-kertomukset 2002" (in Finnish). Yleisradio. 2003. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- "Finnpanel - TV:n katseluosuudet minuuteista" (in Finnish). Archive.org: Finnpanel. 20 January 2006. Archived from the original on 28 May 2006. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
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- "Television in Finland 2007" (PDF). Finnpanel. 2008-01-16. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
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- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". Finnpanel. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- Sandell, Lena; Lamberg, Anna-Leena (2009-01-27). "Television viewing in Finland 2008" (PDF). Finnpanel. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
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- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". Finnpanel. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- Sandell, Lena; Lamberg, Anna-Leena (2010-02-03). "Television viewing in Finland 2009" (PDF). Finnpanel. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
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- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". Finnpanel. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- Sandell, Lena (2011-02-01). "Television viewing in Finland 2010" (PDF). Finnpanel. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
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- "Channel Share and Weekly Reach". Finnpanel. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
- "Television katselu Suomessa 2011" (PDF). Finnpanel. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- "Results From The TV Audience Measurement". Finnpanel. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
- "Results From The TV Audience Measurement". Finnpanel. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
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- "Results From The TV Audience Measurement". Finnpanel. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- "Television katselu Suomessa 2014" (PDF). Finnpanel. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
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- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". www.finnpanel.fi. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- Sandell, Lena. "TV-katselu Suomessa 2015" (PDF). Finnpanel. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". www.finnpanel.fi. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". www.finnpanel.fi. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". www.finnpanel.fi. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". www.finnpanel.fi. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". www.finnpanel.fi. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- "Finnpanel - TV Audience Measurement". www.finnpanel.fi. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
External links
- Viestinävirasto - Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority
- Digita - Terrestrial Broadcast Operator
- DNA - Terrestrial Broadcast Operator
- Finnpanel - Measures TV viewing and radio listening
- Telkku.com - TV-guide