Government proposes amendments to the Act on the Finnish Broadcasting Company

On 16 April 2025, the Government submitted a proposal to Parliament to amend the Act on the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle). The proposed amendments will implement the legislative changes outlined by the parliamentary working group on Yle. The proposal also incorporates the criteria and procedures for the appointment and dismissal of managers of public service media required by the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

The Government proposes that the act should be amended to reflect the working group’s recommendations regarding the transparency of Yle’s activities and finances, the monitoring of such transparency, Yle’s duties related to security of supply, and the number of members in Yle’s Administrative Council. The amendments would be implemented as outlined in the parliamentary working group’s report.

The proposed changes would increase Yle’s obligations to publish information about its activities and finances to the public.  The Administrative Council would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the transparency obligation and the efficient use of Yle’s financial resources.

The proposal would also update Yle’s duties related to security of supply to reflect the current situation, in which Yle must be prepared to manage not only television and radio operations but also other broadcasting in emergency conditions.

Additions required by the EMFA aim to safeguard Yle’s editorial independence

It is proposed that the implementation of the EMFA should be carried out at a minimum level. The national act would be amended to include the criteria and procedures for the appointment and dismissal of Yle’s responsible editors as required by the EMFA. Other national legislation to supplement the EMFA will be addressed in a separate government proposal.

The selection of a responsible editor would be based on the individual’s experience in relation to the area of responsibility, editorial work and leadership of a journalistic organisation.

A responsible editor could not be dismissed solely on the grounds of having exercised editorial independence, unless continuation in the role would be clearly unreasonable for the company. In other respects, the termination of a responsible editor’s employment would be governed by the Employment Contracts Act.

The proposal would also include several technical amendments.

What’s next?

A referral debate on the Government proposal now submitted to Parliament will be held in a Parliament plenary session. The date of the session will be announced on the Parliament website (upcoming plenary sessions). 

After the referral debate, the proposal will be taken to a parliamentary committee. After the committee submits its report, the process will continue in a plenary session.

The application of the EMFA will largely begin on 8 August 2025, and the national provisions must also enter into force by the same date.

Inquiries:

Roosa Patrakka, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 342 192, roosa.patrakka@gov.fi
Eero Salojärvi, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 342 123, eero.salojarvi@gov.fi