Finland

[FI] List of Events of Major Importance to Society Adopted

IRIS 2007-7:1/18

Marina Österlund-Karinkanta

Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, EU and Media Unit

On 22 February 2007, Valtioneuvoston asetus yhteiskunnallisesti merkittävien tapahtumien televisioinnista (Government Decree concerning the broadcasting of events of major importance to society) was adopted. The Decree entered into force on 1 March 2007.

The Decree is based on Section 20 of the Act on Television and Radio Operations (744/1998) as amended by Act 394/2003, and implements Article 3a of the Television without Frontiers Directive (89/552/EEC). With this Decree a list of events has been decided upon, namely those events that are considered to be of such importance to society in Finland that they “shall be broadcast in the area of Finland so that a substantial proportion of the public can follow the coverage of the events free via live coverage or deferred coverage. A television broadcast of an event that is of importance to society as referred to in this subsection is deemed to have reached a substantial proportion of the public, if 90 percent of the population is able to receive the broadcast without a separate charge” (extract from Section 20 in Act 744/1998).

The list of events of major importance to society contains the following:

- Summer and Winter Olympic Games;

- FIFA World Cup (Opening, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Finals and all of Finland’s matches);

- UEFA European Football Championship (Opening, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Finals and all of Finland’s matches);

- Ice Hockey World Championship (entirely);

- FIS Nordic World Ski Championships;

- World and European Championships in Athletics.

It is also established that the following events shall be provided live: the Opening, Semi-finals and Finals and all of Finland’s matches in the World and European Football Championships and Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship Semi-finals, Finals and all of Finland’s matches.

During the deliberations, discussions also took place with regard to adding women’s top tournaments and Paraolympic Games to the list. However, this was not done, since these events do not attract as wide an audience group as the ones now on the list.