Terrestrial television in Finland

Regulatory authorities

Media regulation in Finland is shared across one primary regulatory authority and one main ministry, with a supplementary role played by a second ministry.

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) is the main supervisory authority. It issues programming licences for terrestrial television, supervises compliance with broadcasting rules, and oversees operator obligations for television and audiovisual media services.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications (LVM) sets the overall policy direction and legal framework for the television and communications sector. The ministry prepares legislation, defines spectrum policy, and establishes the strategic conditions for terrestrial broadcasting and licensing systems.

References

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). (n.d.). TV and radio services.
https://www.traficom.fi/en/communications/tv-and-radio

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). (n.d.). Television programming licences.
https://www.traficom.fi/en/communications/tv-and-radio/television-programming-licences

Media Landscapes. (n.d.). Finland: Regulatory authorities.
https://medialandscapes.org/static/country/finland/policies/regulatory-authorities.html

Ministry of Education and Culture. (n.d.). Frontpage.
https://okm.fi/en/frontpage

Ministry of Transport and Communications. (n.d.). Ministry of Transport and Communications (LVM).
https://lvm.fi/en

Terrestrial television network

The transition from analogue to DTT was completed on 1 November 2009. Finland ended all analogue terrestrial television transmissions in September 2007.

Digita Oy owns and operates the nationwide broadcasting networks used for DTT. Digita is a Finnish broadcast and telecommunications infrastructure company responsible for maintaining and operating the countrywide network of transmission towers and technical facilities. As of late 2025, Digita Oy was owned by funds managed by DigitalBridge Group, Inc., although the company has reached an agreement to be acquired by GI Partners, with the transaction expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.

The DTT platform consists of multiplexes licensed by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). Since 1 February 2026, the previous MUX B network has been merged into MUX A, and all nationwide free‑to‑air channels of public service broadcaster Yle continue within this reorganised multiplex with full national coverage. In addition to Yle’s Swedish‑language service (Yle Teema & Fem), Swedish‑speaking viewers in Ostrobothnia also receive SveaTV, a terrestrial Swedish‑language package.

Other multiplexes carry commercial channels, with coverage varying by region depending on the broadcaster’s licence.

References

Digita Oy. (n.d.). Broadcast network operator.
https://www.digita.fi/en

Finnish Ministry of Justice. (2014). Information Society Code (917/2014) (English version).
https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2014/en20140917.pdf

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). (n.d.). Television programming licences.
https://www.traficom.fi/en/communications/tv-and-radio/television-programming-licences

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). (n.d.). TV stations in Finland.
https://www.traficom.fi/en/communications/tv-other-audiovisual-services-and-radio/tv-stations-finland

TV Channel Lists. (n.d.). List of terrestrial channels in Finland.
https://www.tvchannellists.com/w/List_of_terrestrial_channels_in_Finland

Yleisradio Oy. (n.d.). Corporate information.
https://yle.fi/aihe/yleisradio

Permits for terrestrial television

Finland’s national spectrum authority, Traficom, manages and allocates spectrum frequencies and ensures that spectrum use is efficient and does not cause harmful interference to other users. While Digita operates the terrestrial transmission network, the underlying frequency assignments are made by Traficom in accordance with the Act on Electronic Communications Services (917/2014), which provides the legal framework for broadcasting and spectrum management in Finland.

References

Finnish Ministry of Justice. (2014). Act on electronic communications services (917/2014).
https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2014/en20140917

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). (n.d.). Broadcasting regulation.
https://www.traficom.fi/en/communications/tv-and-radio

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). (n.d.). Radio frequencies and spectrum management.
https://www.traficom.fi/en/communications/radio-frequencies

Public service broadcasting

Public service broadcasting in Finland is carried out by Yleisradio Oy (Yle).

Yle operates the national public service television channels Yle TV1, Yle TV2, and Yle Teema & Fem, which together cover news, current affairs, culture, entertainment, regional content, and minority‑language programming.

Yle’s activities are regulated by a specific law: the Act on Yleisradio Oy (22 December 1993/1380), commonly referred to as the Yle Act. The Act sets out provisions on Yle’s mandate, governance structure, ownership, administration, and reporting obligations.

According to the Act, Yle shall, through its operations, promote freedom of expression, high-quality journalism, and diversity in the media. Yle shall also treat the Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking populations in Finland on an equal basis in its programming activities. The Swedish-language content that Yle produces, including news, is organised in a separate unit: Svenska Yle.

Yle is owned by the Finnish state.

References

Finnish Ministry of Justice. (1993). Act on Yleisradio Oy (1380/1993) (English version).
https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1993/en19931380.pdf

Finnish Tax Administration. (n.d.). Public broadcasting tax (Yle tax).
https://www.vero.fi/en/individuals/tax-cards-and-tax-returns/income-and-deductions/yle-tax/

Yleisradio Oy. (n.d.). Public service remit and corporate information.
https://yle.fi/aihe/yleisradio

Must-carry obligations

Finland applies a statutory must-carry obligation under the Information Society Code (Act on Electronic Communications Services, 917/2014), which regulates electronic communications networks and services. The obligation requires telecommunications operators providing cable television services and administrators of shared antenna systems to transmit the television programmes of the Finnish public service broadcaster so they can be received by viewers without additional charges.

The must-carry obligation currently applies only to Yle’s television services. Until mid-2025, Yle’s radio services were also included in the obligation. The rules apply to traditional cable television networks and shared antenna systems, but do not extend to IPTV or OTT services.

Supervision and enforcement of the must-carry obligation are carried out by Traficom.

References

Finnish Ministry of Justice. (2014). Information Society Code (Act on electronic communications services 917/2014).
https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2014/en20140917.pdf

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). (n.d.). Television and radio supervision.
https://www.traficom.fi/en/communications/tv-and-radio

Government of Finland. (n.d.). Must-carry obligation for radio programmes to be removed [Press release].
https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/1410845/must-carry-obligation-for-radio-programmes-to-be-removed