The door to STT’s newsroom in Helsinki. Photo: Anni Ågren / Lehtikuva
- Next Article Minister orders review of points-based immigration models, Yle reports
Lulu Ranne, Finland’s Minister of Transport and Communications, hosted a roundtable discussion on Friday to address the evolving challenges faced by the Finnish media industry. The meeting followed news that Sanoma Media Finland is considering a major reduction or full withdrawal from using services provided by the Finnish News Agency STT.
The roundtable brought together a wide range of media professionals and organisations to assess the sustainability of domestic news production and the impact of shifting consumption habits and international competition.
“Finnish media plays an important role and must be defended,” Ranne said. “We need broad and diverse news coverage in people’s everyday lives. The goal must be a strong domestic media, and achieving that requires joint effort.”
The discussion focused on the broader transformation of the media market. Participants viewed STT’s situation as a reflection of deeper structural issues, including falling advertising revenues and increased competition from global platforms. The withdrawal of support from major media houses like Sanoma was cited as a potential threat to the continuity of national news services.
Attendees stressed that the presence of a resilient, independent, and pluralistic Finnish media sector holds long-term value. Ensuring public access to reliable news across all population groups was described as a key democratic concern.
The roundtable also addressed future prospects for domestic media and proposed that Finland’s media regulation should take into account the imbalance in competition between local companies and international digital platforms. Participants urged the government to reflect these concerns in both national regulation and Finland’s contributions to EU legislative processes.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications will now produce a policy memorandum assessing the state and outlook of the Finnish media landscape. The document will focus on the competitiveness of domestic media firms, examining current market dynamics and future scenarios.
Media representatives at the meeting called for closer cooperation between the sector and the government in future regulatory planning. They argued that regulation affecting media should be developed in active dialogue with local media organisations to ensure their viability.
The discussion followed a public announcement on 8 September by Sanoma Media Finland stating that its news outlets are considering ending or sharply cutting back on their use of STT’s news and photo services.
STT, which provides national and regional news coverage to media clients across Finland, is seen as an important part of the country’s news infrastructure. Any major reduction in its client base raises questions about its long-term sustainability.
HT
- Next Article Minister orders review of points-based immigration models, Yle reports
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
