The controversial radio presenter Kirsi Virtanen’s programme of 29 July has been reported to the Mass Media regulator.
In her programme of 29 July which was broadcast on the Finnish language channel Ylen Radio 1, Virtanen took up the theme of immigrants and immigration. The programme has caused a lot of debate and discussion in Swedish-speaking media in Finland as in the programme Virtanen stated that people from “foreign countries” are living in Eastern Helsinki, such as Somalians, Russians, Estonians, Turks – and Swedes.
She went on to state that it was ridiculous to criticise immigrants as having bad skills in Finnish so long as there are native Finns who don’t speak Finnish and don’t even want to teach their children Finnish. She said it was “hurtful” that there were Finns who didn’t learn Finnish and stated that Swedish-speaking parents who placed their children in Swedish-language day care should be “ashamed”.
Of course, Virtanen’s logic is aside from discriminative, factually inept. Finland has two national languages, Finnish and Swedish. Swedish is as much a language of Finland as the Finnish language, so it is quite right and proper that there are Finns to be found that speak Swedish and not Finnish, just as the opposite is also found (albeit in far greater numbers). It would be strange to think that two Swedish-speaking parents would choose to speak a language other than their native tongue to their children, even if they are both proficient in Finnish. And if their Finnish is not completely correct, it could be plain dangerous for the child’s future communication skills if they sought to teach it a language they themselves don’t master.
It would also do Virtanen no harm to note that the proportion of Swedish-speaking Finns who are proficient in Finnish is far, far higher than the proportion of Finnish-speaking Finns who are proficient in Swedish. She might also note that almost without exception, every Swedish-speaking Finn visiting an entirely Finnish-speaking place would seek service in Finnish (i.e. speak it in a shop etc), whereas Finnish-speaking Finns almost always speak Finnish wherever they are, even in places where Swedish is the absolute majority (or only) language.
Of course, I am sure Virtanen would say that those Finnish-speaking Finns who have, during the last decades, moved en masse to previously entirely Swedish-speaking areas should be ashamed for imposing their language on the local, native population? No, perhaps not. As, it seems to only be Swedish-speakers in Finland that are allowed to be disciminated against in the media without any action ever being taken. What absolutely is shameful is that this was broadcast on Yle and thus funded by the general public, Swedish-speaking Finns included.
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Wednesday 12.8.09 at 16:57
Rasmus
I’m happy that I don’t have a tv so I’m not paying for this woman to spread hatred and stereotype.
Monday 17.8.09 at 16:29
DeTant Blomhat
It would help if you would listen to the actual broadcast and what she actually said: http://areena.yle.fi/audio/331993
She said nothing of the sort what you claim she said. Her own kids are in that very Swedish-language daycare so howcome the parents should be ashamed? How about making your opinion firsthand and not believing third-party heresay.
She also talks about religious freedom, womens liberation, human rights, and advocates the separation of church and state and also questions the borders between countries.
So listen first and then have an opinion – she’s supposed to be in Radio Vega this week.
Monday 17.8.09 at 17:28
Sean Dawson
Hello. I am doing a school project on Finland. Do you think you could spend time with the following questions, I would really appreciate it. Many thanks, Sean Dawson, Duluth, MN, U.S.A.
What do Finland-Swedes think of Sweden?
What do Finland-Swedes think of the Finnish-speaking Finns?
What do Finland-Swedes living in the mainland think of the Åland islands special status?
How easy is it to get through a day using only Swedish and no Finnish?
Do you learn Finnish at school?
What do you think of the Finnish language?
Do Finland-Swedes ever face discrimination because they are from a minority group?
Monday 17.8.09 at 22:58
Richard
This was the most disgusting fennochauvinist assault we witnessed in a while.
There´s not a single European country, apart from Finland, which would allow its minorities referred as “Snakes at the breast of X’s” in publicly financed channels. “The snake at breat of Finns” was ofcourse the biblical snake, a symbol of all evil.
Virtanen did only refer Finland-Swedes as snake, but compared them to Russians “conquerors” in Estonia.
Tuesday 18.8.09 at 12:50
Jonas
Hank – No, I do not listen to this radio station. That much is true. I read this in Hufvudstadsbladet (I believe in a column of Björn Månsson) and then some more details on Vasabladets website, which I would classify as more than “hearsay” as you term it. They are certainly not Iltalehti anyway. Månsson is someone I would very much trust, as much as one can use such a word for a (now ex) journo.
Thank you for the link. I will perhaps listen if and when I have time. It is notable that her programme has been reported several times before. So, the lady has form. With such in mind, I doubt I will make time to pollute my ears.
Sean – Yes, I can answer them. I hope you do not mind, I will make it a blog post as I am short on time just now for something of my own creation and it could be interesting for others. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Richard – Yes, it is truly sad that people can have such discriminative views in 2009. Given her background, it is all the more remarkable. I would imagine that she is just an attention seeker and thus made such firebrand remarks to ensure she got it. However, that still does not make it acceptable. Especially on Yleisradio. One would have hoped that they left such journalism to the evening rags.