Yle celebrates its 100th anniversary on 9 September 2026, and the theme of the anniversary is shared moments. The focus is on people and a sense of belonging.
”Yle's 100th anniversary is a celebration of community spirit. In these times, we want to celebrate Yle’s role as not only a mediator of shared moments but also a creator of them. Yle’s content and services bring us closer to each other, and community spirit is also a significant part of building security of supply. At the same time, the theme emphasises everyone’s right to stay involved when the pace of change in the world seems to be accelerating”, says Jere Nurminen, Director of Communications, Brand and Marketing at Yle.
The celebrations will begin this year when the Yle 100 bus starts its tour around all 19 regions of Finland. The bus will tour the country from summer 2025 to autumn 2026. You can meet familiar faces from Yle's TV and radio channels, share your own stories on the Story Bench, play games and watch the making of programmes, among other things.
”We will start our tour in Turku at the end of May at Radio Suomi’s Summer Concert on 30 May and on YleXPop on 31 May. In the summer, we will also meet people at the Tangomarkkinat Tango Festival in Seinäjoki and the Muikkuvestivaalit festival in Pielavesi. We are happy to receive tips on events to visit”, says Jyri Kataja-Rahko, Yle’s Event Manager.
No event is too small, and anyone can suggest events by sending an email to yle.bussi@yle.fi. See the updated schedule for the Yle 100 bus here (in Finnish).
The film channel Yle Teema will celebrate by showing 100 Finnish films suggested by viewers
The anniversary year will be present across various content at Yle next year. For example, Yle Teema will celebrate the anniversary by showing 100 Finnish films based on viewer suggestions. Teema will collect viewers’ suggestions during April 2025 and compile a list of one hundred Finnish films, which will be available on both Yle Teema and Yle Areena in 2026.
Research on creative programme work at Yle will be published in June
In honour of the anniversary, the largest academic research ever on Yle is currently under way. The research projects will look at Yle as a cultural operator, the company’s corporate history, Yle’s relationship with Finland and Finns, and Svenska Yle’s significance in the Finnish media field. The first study, Kulttuurin vuosisata - luova ohjelmatyö Yleisradiossa 1926–2025 (”Century of Culture – Creative Programme Work at Yle in 1926–2025”, in Finnish only) by Professor Anu Koivunen’s research group, will be published in June 2025.
More information about the entire anniversary year is available here.