Bottlenecks in Promoting Pluralistic Media In Finland from the Perspective of Immigrants

In Finland, like many Western European countries, media audiences are changing. This is evident from the increasing content in Finnish media offered in various languages (Ukrainian, English, Somali) and the growing diversity of the population. More people are becoming Finnish citizens and turning to Finnish media after residing in Finland for a long time. However, media pluralism and the representation of immigrant or minority background journalists remain limited, underrepresenting the demographic reality. Tasked by The Finnish Foundation for Media and Development (VIKES), this survey explores recent academic studies, experiences from peer countries, workshops with media organizations, and interviews with future journalists from minority backgrounds in Finland. The aim is to understand media pluralism in Finland and provide practical recommendations for a more inclusive and representative media landscape. By considering both recent migrants and second-generation individuals, we identify nuanced obstacles affecting these groups. Despite demographic diversity and overall wellbeing of the society, people with migrant backgrounds in Finland face persistent challenges, including language barriers, discrimination, and limited integration opportunities. Recent reports indicate that transnational individuals in Finland are increasingly interested in local media, highlighting the need for greater diversity in media representation. Media engagement could enhance societal involvement for people with diverse backgrounds. The survey shows that much can be done to further media pluralism in Finland. Media audience research is necessary to evidence changes in the audience. More specialized training programs and advanced language training are required. These and other crucial findings are presented in detail. The report is structured to first explore effective models from outside Finland, followed by identifying practical support needed by Finnish media to enhance pluralism. It then maps key actors, identifies gaps, and concludes with actionable recommendations.