Television in Finland

Television was introduced in Finland in 1955. Color television started in 1969 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.

History

On 24 May 1955, the first public television broadcast in Finland was aired by the (later ). The project eventually developed into TES-TV (later Tesvisio), the first television channel in Finland that began regular broadcasts on 21 March 1956. 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.

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.

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

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, 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 Owner Description MUX and standart1. Yle TV1 Yleisradio documentaries, news, politics, satire, series, films MUX B DVB-T22. Yle TV2 sports, entertainment, series, films, children's programming3. MTV3 MTV Oy (TV4 Media) films, series, sports, news4. Nelonen Nelonen Media (Sanoma Media) films, series, sports, news5. Yle Teema & Fem Yleisradio culture, sciences and learning. Also programming by the Swedish-language department of Yle6. MTV Sub MTV Oy imported series, films, reality, sports MUX E DVB-T27. TV5Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA entertainment, films, series, documentaries MUX C DVB-T28. Liv Nelonen Media women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries MUX E DVB-T29. Jim men's programmes, reality, documentaries, sports10. KutonenWarner Bros. Discovery EMEA men's programmes, music, films, series, documentaries MUX C DVB-T211. TLC women's programmes, lifestyle12. Star ChannelThe Walt Disney Company Nordic imported series, films, documentaries13. MTV Ava MTV Oy women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, series, documentaries MUX E DVB-T2 14. HeroNelonen Media imported series and films 15. FriiWarner Bros. Discovery EMEA women's programmes, lifestyle programmes, films, documentaries MUX C DVB-T216. Alfa Media Group Oy (IRR-TV) programmes for minorities, religious programmes MUX E DVB-T217. National GeographicThe Walt Disney Company Nordic nature, history, documentaries MUX C DVB-T218. ATV-Tuotanto Oy adult entertainment MUX E DVB-T219. Veikkaus TV Veikkaus Oy Sports20. Eveo Oyevents and related preview and theme programs, program series, and compilation broadcasts of event highlights MUX C DVB-T221. Viaplay TVViaplay Group Sports24. Digita Oymusic MUX E DVB-T234. One Way Tuotanto Oy religious programmes36. Kuntopaikka HH Oy MUX B DVB-T2

Links: List of DTT channels from 8 October 2025 PID list from 30 June 2025

Viewing shares

Channels1988 199019941996199820002002200420052006200720082009201020112012 2013 20142015201620172018201920202021Yle TV134332526.72522.623.624.624.523.823.824.121.922.223.324.826.025.827.928.128.927.728.429.727.0Yle TV223211921.52119.721.820.319.120.017.416.817.718.916.913.211.913.811.012.411.313.011.99.913.3MTV34644.642.240.437.034.732.629.025.722.922.821.621.820.019.017.317.816.316.616.216.317.417.7NelonenJanuary 1990 - May 1997 PTV42.7711.511.612.411.511.910.210.09.99.39.29.08.88.28.09.69.69.08.28.17.9Yle Fem1988 - 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 FST5220.20.71.61.81.61.61.71.51.91.61.71.11.0Yle Teema0.61.32.22.62.52.62.62.62.42.52.62.02.03.23.53.1MTV SubFebruary 2000 - August 2001 TVTV!. August 2001 - January 2008 Subtv. January 2008 - December 2022 Sub.0.51.22.54.24.66.06.06.76.56.15.75.15.04.23.43.03.43.53.43.3TV52.63.33.63.43.53.12.42.82.92.82.8Liv0.71.92.32.32.72.82.52.72.42.52.82.42.52.01.9JimFebruary 2002 - February 2007 Nelonen Plus0.11.22.62.62.93.13.33.23.43.22.92.62.43.02.62.5KutonenThe Voice and TV5 operated in same channel from September 2008 to April 2011. March 2004 - August 2012 The Voice0.40.70.81.52.00.40.81.21.21.81.71.72.12.12.42.5TLC0.10.70.91.42.01.8Star ChannelDecember 2009 - April 2012 SuomiTV. April 2012 - January 2023 FOX.0.70.52.23.33.83.73.02.72.72.52.62.4MTV AvaMarch 2008 - January 2011 MTV3 AVA. January 2011 - December 2022 AVA.0.10.11.51.91.92.32.11.81.91.92.02.0Hero0.10.81.01.31.31.31.11.0Frii0.91.41.51.71.81.81.8National Geographic0.30.32.12.62.52.62.6C More Total Pay TV0.21.32.42.52.22.03.53.73.62.92.41.91.61.61.11.5Discovery Channel0.50.60.70.60.50.70.60.40.30.40.30.20.20.20.1Music TV1110.90.80.70.70.50.50.50.40.40.40.30.40.30.2Nelonen Pay TV0.10.20.30.40.50.50.60.70.70.60.50.3Nelonen SportAugust 2001 - February 2010 Urheilukanava.0.71.21.31.30.6Yle ExtraAugust 2001 - April 2007 YLE24.0.70.8

Notes

Television in Finland

Bron en licentie