Television in Finland

Television was introduced in Finland in 1955.^[1] Color television started in 1969^[2][3] 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.

People gather to watch the first television transmission of Finland in May 1955.

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.^[4]

History

Promotional photograph for Yleisradio's Yle TV2 quiz show Ristisana with hosts Kaarina Elo and Jouko Sinkkonen in 1971.

On 24 May 1955, the first public television broadcast in Finland was aired by the Radioinsinööriseura [fi] (later Elektroniikkainsinöörien seura [fi]).^[5] The project eventually developed into TES-TV (later Tesvisio), the first television channel in Finland that began regular broadcasts on 21 March 1956.^[6][7] 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.

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.^[8]

Finnish programming

MTV3

Finnish TV-series Salatut elämät ("Secret Lives", literally "Concealed Lives")

• 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

Main article: Digital terrestrial television in Finland

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. ^{[citation needed]}

September 2007 also saw the launch of the SveaTV package in Ostrobothnia which broadcasts channels from Sweden. ^{[citation needed]}

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.^[9]

Finland fully launched DVB-T2 in November 2024, and will exclusively use DVB-T2 starting June 2025.^[10]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

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. ^{[citation needed]}

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. ^{[citation needed]}

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,^[11] 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.

DTT Channels

LCN	Channel Name	Description	MUX and standart
1.	Yle TV1	documentaries, news, politics, satire, series, films	MUX B DVB-T2
2.	Yle TV2	sports, entertainment, series, films, children's programming
3.	MTV3	films, series, sports, news
4.	Nelonen	films, series, sports, news
5.	Yle Teema & Fem	culture, sciences and learning. Also programming by the Swedish-language department of Yle
6.	MTV Sub	imported series, films, reality, sports	MUX E DVB-T2
7.	TV5	entertainment, films, series, documentaries
8.	Liv	women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries
9.	Jim	men's programmes, reality, documentaries, sports
10.	Kutonen	men's programmes, music, films, series, documentaries
11.	TLC	women's programmes, lifestyle
12.	Star Channel	imported series, films, documentaries
13.	MTV Ava	women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries
14.	Hero	imported series and films
15.	Frii	women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, documentaries
16.	AlfaTV	programmes for minorities, religious programmes
18.	Iskuri.fi	adult entertainment
20.	National Geographic	nature, history, documentaries
23.	MTV3 SD[12]	films, series, sports, news	MUX A DVB-T
24.	Nelonen SD[12]	films, series, sports, news
26.	MTV Sub SD[12]	imported series, films, reality, sports
27.	TV5 SD[12]	entertainment, films, series, documentaries	MUX C DVB-T
28.	Liv SD[12]	women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries
29.	Jim SD[12]	men's programmes, reality, documentaries, sports
30.	Kutonen SD[12]	men's programmes, music, films, series, documentaries
31.	TLC SD[12]	women's programmes, lifestyle
32.	Star Channel SD[12]	imported series, films, documentaries
33.	MTV Ava SD[12]	women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries	MUX A DVB-T
34.	One Way TV	religious programmes	MUX E DVB-T2
35.	Frii SD[12]	women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, documentaries	MUX C DVB-T
36.	OnniTV		MUX B DVB-T2
39.	National Geographic SD[12]	nature, history, documentaries	MUX C DVB-T
40.	MTV Max	sports, outdoors, documentaries, programming for men	MUX D DVB-T2[13]
41.	Eurosport 1	sport
43.	MTV Juniori SD	children's programming
44.	Discovery Channel SD	documentaries, science
45.	Eurosport 2	sport
46.	CNN International SD	news
47.	Investigation Discovery SD	documentaries, science
48.	National Geographic Wild SD	nature, history, documentaries
49.	Animal Planet SD	nature, documentaries
52.	Disney Channel SD	children's programming
53.	MTV Aitio SD	films, shows
54.	MTV Viihde SD	series, films
55.	MTV Urheilu 1	sport
56.	MTV Urheilu 2	sport
57.	MTV Urheilu 3	sport
58.	Nick Jr. SD	children's programming
59.	MTV Liiga 1	sport
60.	V Film Action	films	HbbTV[13]
61.	V Film Premiere	films
62.	V Sport 2 Suomi	sport	MUX D DVB-T2[13]
63.	V Sport 1 Suomi	sport
65.	V Sport Vinter	sport	HbbTV[13]
66.	V Sport + Suomi	sport	MUX D DVB-T2[13]
67.	V Sport Golf	sport	HbbTV[13]
69.	AdultTV.fi SD	adult entertainment	MUX D DVB-T2[13]
80.	SF-kanalen	films	HbbTV[13]
82.	MTV Max	sports, outdoors, documentaries, programming for men
83.	MTV Aitio	films, shows
84.	MTV Viihde	series, films
85.	MTV Urheilu 1	sport
86.	MTV Urheilu 2	sport
87.	MTV Urheilu 3	sport
88.	MTV Juniori	children's programming
90.	Eurosport 1	sport
91.	Eurosport 2	sport
92.	MTV Liiga 1	sport
93.	MTV Liiga 2	sport
94.	MTV Liiga 3	sport
95.	MTV Liiga 4	sport
96.	MTV Liiga 5	sport
97.	MTV Liiga 6	sport
98.	MTV Liiga 7	sport
111.	V Sport Live 1	sport
112.	V Sport Live 2	sport
113.	V Sport Live 3	sport
114.	V Sport Live 4	sport
115.	V Sport Live 5	sport
116.	V Sport Football	sport
117.	V Sport	sport
118.	V Sport Premium	sport
119.	V Sport Vinter	sport
120.	V Sport 1 Suomi	sport
121.	V Sport + Suomi	sport
122.	V Sport 2 Suomi	sport
123.	V Sport Golf	sport
124.	V Film Action	films
125.	V Film Premiere	films
126.	Viasat History	documentaries, history
127.	Viasat Explore	documentaries, science, entertainment for men
128.	Viasat Nature	documentaries, nature
129.	V Film Family	films
130.	V Film Hits	films
140.	Fight Sports	sport

• Links:
  • Information about closed pay-TV package in DTT from 31 May 2025^[14][15]
  • List of DTT channels from 1 April 2025^[16]
  • PID list^[17]

Viewing shares

Channels	1988 [18]	1990 [18]	1994 [19]	1996 [20][21]	1998 [21][22]	2000 [21][23]	2002 [21][24]	2004 [21][25]	2005 [21][25]	2006 [26]	2007 [27]	2008 [28]	2009 [29]	2010 [30]	2011 [31]	2012 [32]	2013 [33]	2014 [34]	2015 [35]	2016 [36]	2017 [37]	2018 [38]	2019 [39]	2020 [40]	2021 [41]
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

1. January 1990 - May 1997 PTV4
2. 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
3. February 2000 - August 2001 TVTV!. August 2001 - January 2008 Subtv. January 2008 - December 2022 Sub.
4. The Voice and TV5 operated in same channel from September 2008 to April 2011. March 2004 - August 2012 The Voice
5. February 2002 - February 2007 Nelonen Plus
6. December 2009 - April 2012 SuomiTV. April 2012 - January 2023 FOX.
7. March 2008 - January 2011 MTV3 AVA. January 2011 - December 2022 AVA.
8. August 2001 - February 2010 Urheilukanava.
9. August 2001 - April 2007 YLE24.

See also

• Media of Finland