Finland Times

 

File Photo Lehtikuva.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has appointed a working group to review and assess the operating conditions of the country's media markets as well as the barriers and competitive positions in the markets.

 

The group was appointed by the Transport and Communications Minister Anne Berner on 3 August, 2015. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015, said a press release of the ministry.

 

A separate parliamentary working group will be appointed later in autumn to examine the public service duty and funding of the Finnish Broadcasting Company. It would start its work in the beginning of 2016.

 

“Strong and financially viable media benefits all. It is the society's duty to ensure fair operating conditions for the media even when the sector is undergoing an intense transition. The role of the Finnish Broadcasting Company must also be reviewed against the changes,” said Berner.

 

The members of the media markets group are representatives from the business and media sector, and the group will be chaired by Anssi Vanjoki, professor from the Lappeenranta University of Technology.

 

Members of the group are Kalle Isokallio, author and columnist, Mikael Jungner, Managing Partner at the communications consultancy company Kreab, and Reetta Meriläinen, freelance journalist.

 

The working group is assigned to explore the situation in the media sector in Finland. It is to find out the impacts of regulation on competition in the sector and on the operating conditions of businesses, said the release.

 

The group is also to assess how public service, competition from the international media, and differences in taxation between the digital and conventional media affect the media markets.

 

The assignment is based on a number of guidelines of the Government Programme that have an impact on the media and Finnish content production. To support these guidelines and measures, an extensive assessment of the media markets is needed.

 

The parliamentary working group will be chaired by Matti Vanhanen, Member of Parliament. Group members will be appointed later, according to the release.