IFAJ 45th
Annual Congress 8-13 September 2001, Savonlinna, Finland
Media and Agriculture
Heikki Vuorela
Assistant
Editor
Media:
Maaseudun Tulevaisuus
I’m presumably here due to the fact that my
employer – MT – is the largest agricultural publication in Finland. Indeed,
representing the largest brings with it a perception of great wisdom and
importance. So, I challenge you to consider this: Are some of the people you
cover in your stories there simply because of their status, and not their
actual merits?
The Nordic dimension in this sense is that,
even though Finland is a small country, we can still have something of value to
offer this Congress.
The other challenge for your consideration
comes, however, from a Belgian social psychologist, who, at a European
Parliament seminar, stated that changes in agriculture and rural areas require
new working approaches. He wondered if today’s farmer was capable of such
change, or would it be left to the next generation. This begs the question: Are
we as agricultural journalists capable of functioning in a changing
environment?
A special feature of the Finnish agricultural
press is Maaseudun Tulevaisuus. What makes it special is that it is a newspaper
published three times a week.
MT is Finland’s 6th largest newspaper
in circulation and has Finland’s 2nd largest readership.
Although MT is owned by The Central Union of
Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), it is produced in accordance
with journalistic principles. Not a member publication, it is openly available
for subscription. MTK does not provide financial support for the newspaper; MT
earns revenues for its owners.
MT’s circulation is the largest of all rural
trade journals, even larger than the number of active farms. A reduction in the
number of farms is apparent in the circulation figures: whereas 25 years ago
there were 135,000, there are now 90,000. New areas for circulation are sought
among forest owners, rural entrepreneurs and others interested in rural issues.
During the last few years the decline in circulation has nearly come to a
standstill.
An exception to shrinking agricultural
publication circulation is Käytännön Maamies. It targets its subscription at
the strongest farms, which have the greatest chance for survival. Over the past
seven years, its circulation has remained steady - approximately 25,000. Only
very recently did its numbers allow the publication to begin participating in
competitive circulation "pointkeeping".
A special feature of the Finnish agricultural
press is its high number of publications. Most industry organisations and
companies run their own publication. The customer magazines of the largest
companies have a larger circulation than all other agricultural publications -
except for MT.
In recent years the number of publications has
declined, with the remaining contract out their editorial work. This has
reduced the number of permanent reporter positions available, but provided
freelancers with a great deal of work.
The Finnish Association of Agricultural
Journalists also has members from 17 newspapers and press agencies, radio and
two (out of three) television companies. With the exception of two special
correspondents, the others are financial and general assignment reporters
covering agriculture-related stories.
Finland’s largest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat,
currently has no members from the Association of Agricultural Journalists.
Finland’s capital newspaper tends to run rural survival and human interest
stories while discussing urban problems. I believe that shedding light on the
residents of rural areas is a good thing, but it can give the outsider an
overly romanticised idea.
On all the nationwide radio stations, there is
one weekly agricultural programme geared for farmers. There are no regular
agriculture-related programmes on television.
Heikki
Vuorela
Assistant
Editor
Media:
Maaseudun Tulevaisuus
M.Sc. (Agr.For.)
Age:
48 years
Mr. Vuorela has been working as a full-time
journalist since 1983. Although he has worked at different newspapers, a major
part of his career has been spent at Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (MT), a leading
agricultural newspaper in Finland. At present, he works as a correspondent for
MT in Brussels. Mr. Vuorela is the former president of the Finnish Association
of Agricultural Journalists.