Copyright yle
Some 61 percent of foreigners in Finland name Yle as their most reliable source of news, according to the results of an extensive survey by pollster Taloustutkimus. Nearly 2,200 respondents took part in the survey, which focused on six of Finland’s largest language groups after the official trio of Finnish, Swedish and Sámi — Arabic, English, Kurdish, Somali, Ukrainian and Russian. Together, they represent much of the country’s linguistic diversity. The sample, drawn from the national population register, was weighted by age structure within each group. English speakers made up around a fifth of respondents. "It is important that we can provide reliable information in people’s own languages to an ever-growing number of foreign-language residents in Finland — and that they regard us as worthy of their trust,” said Panu Pokkinen, Yle’s editor-in-chief for news and sports. "Already, one in nine residents speaks a language other than Finnish, Swedish or Sámi at home. Their significance in Finnish society is steadily growing." Among Finnish speakers, trust runs even deeper. Some 82 percent said they trusted Yle’s news output, according to a survey conducted about a year ago. Though confidence has edged down in recent years, Finland remains among the most trusting news markets in the world, as shown by the Reuters Institute’s comparative data. After Yle, the most trusted outlets among foreign-language speakers were Helsingin Sanomat (43%) and the BBC (32%), followed by search engines and news aggregators (30%). The youngest cohort, aged 18–29, turned out to be the most trusting overall. Trust levels, however, vary sharply between language groups. Yle tops the list in all of them, but its appeal is strongest among Somali- and English-speakers, 78 percent and 71 percent of whom respectively regard it as reliable. "Yle's relationship is the strongest among newer arrivals, meaning those whose language groups have only recently gained Yle service, and among foreign-language speakers who have lived in Finland for less than a decade," said Aune Sanz from the broadcaster's customer insights team. Some 61 percent of foreign-language speakers reported consuming news daily. Among English speakers, the figure was 62 percent. Half of all respondents reported regularly using an AI-based translation feature in their web browser to access news content. A growing audience A stronger relationship with Yle appears to go hand in hand with greater understanding of Finnish society — and of one’s own ability to influence it. For those who have lived in Finland for only a short time, Yle serves not just as a source of news but as a gateway to the language and to integration. When asked how the broadcaster could improve its services, respondents most often called for more multilingual content. Younger audiences, meanwhile, emphasised a stronger presence on social media and better digital visibility. There was also growing demand for more plain-language news, making information easier to follow for those still learning Finnish. Yle’s multilingual offerings have expanded steadily. It has produced news in Russian since 1990 and in English since 1999. Ukrainian-language news began in 2022 after Russia’s invasion. The newest additions, Arabic and Somali, joined the portfolio just a year ago. "We launched Ukrainian-language coverage to help the tens of thousands of refugees arriving here to integrate into Finnish society by providing reliable news in their mother tongue. In contrast, the Arabic and Somali services were created to counter the tide of mis- and disinformation that floods social media. Yle's multilingual news videos now reach tens of thousands of viewers daily — and, at best, hundreds of thousands," explained Marko Krapu, Executive Producer of Yle's multilingual service. Personal finances, racism cause concern The survey also explored respondents' life satisfaction and the issues that concern them most. Foreign-language speakers report slightly higher life satisfaction than Finnish speakers, 83 versus 79 percent. "A good life consists of peace of mind, not having to worry about money every month, and having strong relationships with your family. It includes a satisfying job with good pay – enough to cover the bills and enjoy life – along with a healthy work-life balance," one English-speaking respondent said Foreign-language speakers tend to be more anxious than Finnish speakers about their immediate future. Their chief concerns include personal finances, racism, hate speech and overall security. The weight of these worries varies by language group. Safety looms largest for Ukrainian speakers, with four in five citing the war as their primary concern. Among English speakers, by contrast, rising prices take precedence. Racism and hate ranked among the top concerns for all groups except Ukrainian and Russian speakers. Just over half of respondents feel that they belong to a group or community that matters to them. By contrast, 81 parents said they believe that others trust them. Trust in the police and schools The survey found that the most trusted institutions are the police, educational institutions, the defence forces and the judiciary. On average, foreign-language speakers place less trust in these institutions than Finnish speakers. Yle was regarded as equally trustworthy as other Finnish media. Among Finnish speakers, however, the public broadcaster stands out clearly. The smaller gap among foreign-language speakers largely reflects a higher proportion who felt unable to assess Yle's reliability. Trust in political institutions — and in organisations more broadly — is generally weaker. Confidence in political parties is particularly low among Kurdish speakers (15%) and Russian speakers (17%). English speakers are the most trusting of Nato, while Ukrainian speakers place the greatest faith in the church. Those who have lived in Finland for more than ten years tended to place the least trust in institutions, while newcomers of one to three years were generally the most trusting. Differences between language groups may reflect cultural factors, varying perceptions of safety, experiences in the labour market, or specific informational needs in the current context. The number of foreign-language speakers in Finland is rising rapidly, totalling around 610,000 or nearly 11 percent of the population. If immigration remains at current levels, their numbers are expected to more than double by 2040. Yle is obliged to provide programming for minority and special-interest groups, a legal mandate that grows even more relevant as the country diversifies.
