Local understanding helps an international company identify the topics that matter to Finnish audiences.
A global press release from an international company is rarely news in Finland as such. A well-known brand, strong revenue or success in another market does not yet tell a Finnish journalist why the story should matter to their audience.
Finland’s media market is small and concentrated. Editorial resources are limited, competition for attention is intense and story ideas offered by companies are assessed carefully. Even so, international companies have good opportunities to gain visibility when a global story is given a clear Finnish relevance.
It is worth doing the work properly, because earned media visibility carries particular value in Finland. Finns’ trust in news remains among the highest in the world. According to the Reuters Institute’s 2026 Digital News Report, 63 percent of Finns said they trust the news, compared with an average of 37 percent across all countries surveyed. A story published by independent media can therefore build credibility for a company in a way that its own channels or paid advertising cannot replace.
Results come when media relations are systematic, messages connect with local conversations and collaboration with journalists is based on trust.
The Finnish media landscape has changed
Companies seeking media visibility in Finland should be aware that the media environment has become more challenging over the past ten to fifteen years. Newspapers have been closed or merged, newsrooms collaborate across traditional publication boundaries and the same content is published across multiple channels. Since 2010, dozens of newspapers have ceased publication in Finland. According to statistics from the Finnish News Media Association, around one third of editorial jobs at newspapers have disappeared compared with the sector’s peak years.
Ownership has also become more concentrated. According to the Reuters Institute’s country report on Finland, Sanoma Media Finland, Alma Media and Keskisuomalainen account for the majority of Finnish newspapers’ revenue, circulation and titles. At the same time, the use of print media has declined, while newsrooms increasingly serve their audiences online and through social media.
In practice, journalists have less time and more channels to manage. A pitch from a company therefore needs to be quickly understandable, well justified and relevant to the specific media outlet.
The bar has risen, but clearing it feels more rewarding.
1. Start with the objective, not the press release
Before approaching the media, it is worth defining what the company wants to achieve in Finland. Is the goal to support market entry, strengthen the employer brand, reach potential customers or establish the company as an expert in a particular field?
The objective determines which media outlets, audiences and topics matter most. An angle that interests readers of business media may be irrelevant to a local newspaper. A trade publication, meanwhile, may pick up on a technical innovation that would not meet the news threshold of national media.
2. Get to know the Finnish media landscape
In addition to national news and business media, Finland has strong regional and local media as well as industry-specific trade publications.
Local journalism still has an important role in Finland. In the 2024 Digital News Report, local news was the news category Finns were most interested in, with 74 percent of respondents saying they were interested in it. An international company’s investment, recruitment, production facility, customer relationship or impact on the local economy can therefore be a highly interesting story specifically for local or regional media.
Media relations start with following the newsrooms. What topics does each outlet cover? From what angle? Who writes about the subject?
3. Turn an international story into a Finnish one
Localisation means evaluating the news from the perspective of a Finnish audience and often rebuilding the angle entirely.
Imagine, for example, that an international technology company opens a new office in Helsinki. From the company’s perspective, the news is the office opening. Finnish business media, however, may be more interested in the answers to questions such as: Why did the company choose Finland? How much does it plan to invest? How many people will it hire? Is the Finnish office also intended to serve other Nordic markets?
The same principle applies across industries:
- An international industrial company launches a new product. Instead of the product’s features, Finnish media may be more interested in how the solution helps Finnish industry reduce energy consumption, costs or emissions. The story becomes stronger if it includes a Finnish customer and measurable results.
- A data centre company is planning an investment in Finland. In addition to the value of the investment, local media will be interested in jobs, the construction schedule, energy use, the utilisation of waste heat and the impact on the municipal economy. From the perspective of local residents, these questions matter more than the company’s international growth strategy.
- A foreign software company enters the Finnish market. Market entry alone may not yet be news. A stronger angle may come from the company’s data: for example, how Finnish companies compare with other Nordic countries in cybersecurity, productivity or the use of artificial intelligence.
- A healthcare company introduces a new service in Finland. Instead of a technical description, the story could focus on access to care, regional differences or how much the new operating model reduces waiting times. The experience of a patient or Finnish healthcare professional makes the impact concrete.
- A construction company offers a new low-carbon solution. A sustainability claim alone is not enough. The media may be interested in how much the solution reduces emissions in a specific Finnish construction project, what it costs and whether it can be used in Finnish climate conditions.
- An international study is published across several countries. The Finnish results should be highlighted separately from global averages. Interesting angles include where Finland stands out, what is surprising in the results and what the findings mean for Finnish companies or decision-makers.
A useful test is to complete the sentence:
“This matters to a Finnish audience because…”
If the answer is simply that the company is expanding or that the product is now available in Finland, the angle still needs work. If the answer relates to jobs, costs, competition, safety, the environment or people’s everyday lives, the story is already much stronger.
Language matters too. An English-language pitch can work, but naturally written material delivered in Finnish reduces the workload for the newsroom and demonstrates commitment to the local market.
4. Build trust before you need publicity
A strong media relationship is based on the company being known as a reliable source of information and expertise. The company responds quickly, keeps its promises, distinguishes facts from opinions and does not try to avoid difficult questions.
The relationship can be built by offering useful background information, new insights and access to experts even when the company does not have its own news to promote. Once a journalist gets to know an expert, they may return to that person later.
5. Make the journalist’s job easier
A good media pitch makes it clear already in the headline what is new and why the topic matters. At the beginning of the pitch, it is often enough to answer four questions:
- What has happened?
- Why does it matter to a Finnish audience?
- What is the claim based on?
- Who is available to provide more information?
Useful facts, comparative data and, when needed, high-quality images should be available as background material. The interviewee must also be available when the newsroom is working on the story – not only the following week after the company’s internal approval process has been completed.
Finnish journalists generally appreciate direct and precise communication. Exaggeration, unsupported superlatives and lengthy company introductions weaken credibility. Failing to respond also says something about the company.
It is also important to understand that earned media is not advertising. A company can offer a topic, information and an interviewee, but the newsroom decides whether a story is published and what form it takes. In Finland, the distinction between editorial and commercial content is considered very important. Companies should recognise this boundary and act accordingly.
6. Think of media relations as ongoing work
A strong position in Finnish public discussion is built through long-term media relations. At the same time, it is worth noting that in a small and concentrated media landscape, reliable experts are remembered.
You need clear key messages, relevant news topics, media-trained experts and the ability to respond to current discussions. Results should be evaluated not only by the number of articles, but also by their quality: Did the topic reach the right audience? Did the company’s expertise come through? Did the visibility support business objectives?
A local partner helps you earn a place in the conversation
Reaching Finnish media requires an understanding of local society, the news agenda and how newsrooms work. A story that is internationally significant is not always interesting in Finland as such – but it can be shaped into a strong Finnish news story.
Mailand helps international companies identify locally relevant topics, adapt their messages for Finnish audiences and build trusted media relationships over the long term.