Yle's Administrative Council launches a Public Value Test on the audio content offered by Yle on the Internet
The Public Value Test does not cover the live distribution of radio channels on Yle Areena or on other Yle's own Internet services.
According to the Act on Yleisradio Oy, a prior evaluation (Public Value Test) must be carried out of such new services and functions that have a more than significant influence on the available content services as a whole and that are considerable in terms of significance, duration and cost. At the discretion of the administrative council, an evaluation may be conducted whenever it is deemed necessary on reasonable grounds.
RadioMedia ry, the umbrella organisation for commercial radio, made a request for a Public Value Test in winter 2022. The Administrative Council of Yle decided to launch the Public Value Test on 20 September 2022.
The Public Value Test does not cover the live distribution of radio channels on Yle Areena or on other Yle's own Internet services.
"The Administrative Council unanimously decided that the Public Value Test should be carried out, even though the provision of Yle's audio content online is not exactly a new subscription service. The Public Value Test can thoroughly examine the public service value of Yle's audio content to the public and, on the other hand, its potential impacts on the market, "says Arto Satonen, Chairman of Yle's Administrative Council.
The implementation of the Public Value Test is part of the tasks of Yle's Administrative Council and it is carried out with the help of external specialists. Company management does not participate in or comment on the process. In connection with the test, the statements of the competition authority, consumer authority and key actors in the field are requested or heard orally. Other specialists deemed necessary may also be consulted. Yle's Administrative Council will discuss the Public Value Test and the audio content offered by Yle on the Internet, possibly at the end of this year.
“Yle has renewed its audio offering recently, the audio content in Areena is being strengthened, and the offering of the Yle Puhe channel has been changed. Apparently, RadioMedia, the umbrella organisation for commercial media, wants to investigate the direction in which Yle's audio offerings are developed through the Public Value Test. Yle has nothing against the Public Value Test, if its purpose is to verify what the mission of a public service may include or how something Yle does affects other operators in the market, says Merja Ylä-Anttila, CEO of Yle.
A comparative study on the regulatory framework concerning audio on demand (AOD) services provided by public service media (PSM) in selected countries.
The study has been requested by Yle as part of the background materials, which can be used in the context of deciding whether a prior evaluation on AOD should be initiated. The rest of the background materials are only available in Finnish, with brief summaries in Swedish.
