Yle Sápmi

Yle Sápmi is the Sámi-language editorial unit of Yleisradio (Yle), Finland's state-owned public broadcasting company. It is based in the village of Inari in Finnish Lapland, with journalists also working in Enontekiö and Helsinki, and employs around 20 people in total. The unit produces content in all three Sámi languages spoken in Finland — Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi — for the internet, radio and television, and some material is also translated into Finnish. On radio, Yle Sápmi operates its own channel, Yle Sámi Radio, which broadcasts on weekday mornings and afternoons; at other times the frequency carries Yle Radio Suomi. On television it does not have a dedicated channel, but produces the national Sámi-language news programme Yle Ođđasat, shown on Yle TV1 on weekdays, and contributes to the pan-Nordic Sámi news programme Ođđasat. Its radio and television output is also available on the Yle Areena streaming service. The editorial unit traces its roots to regular Sámi-language radio news broadcasts that began in Finland in October 1947, first from Oulu and later from Rovaniemi. In 1972 the Sámi-language editorial team moved to Inari and became a separate unit from Yle's Lapland regional newsroom. A local office was established in Kaaresuvanto, Enontekiö, in 1983. Sámi-language radio gained its own network in November 1991, and from 1994 the provision of Sámi-language services was written into Yle's statutory duties. Yle Sápmi's website opened in 1997. The pan-Nordic Ođđasat began broadcasting in Finland in 2002, and Yle's own Sámi-language television news, Yle Ođđasat, was founded in 2013, using all three Sámi languages as presentation languages. In 2017, on the Sámi national day, Yle Sápmi launched Ealli arkiiva, a Sámi-language living archive in the three languages. Yle Sápmi has been led by Juhani Nousuniemi (1980–2012), Pirita Näkkäläjärvi (2012–2017), Maiju Saijets (2017–2025) and Linnea Rasmus from 1 May 2025. In 2013 it received the Sámi Language Council's Language Act of the Year award and the Skolt Sámi cultural association Saa'mi Nue'tt's Skolt of the Year award. As part of Yle, it is a public-service broadcaster funded through the state broadcasting system rather than a commercial advertising-funded operation.

Regular Sámi-language radio news broadcasts have been transmitted in Finland since October 1947. They were initially broadcast from Oulu, and the editorial operation was moved to Rovaniemi in the early 1960s. In 1972 the Sámi-language editorial team moved to the village of Inari and became a separate editorial unit, distinct from Yle's Lapland regional newsroom. A local office was established in Kaaresuvanto in Enontekiö in 1983. In November 1991, Sámi-language radio gained its own network. From 1994 onwards, the production of Sámi-language services was written into Yleisradio's statutory duties by law. Yle Sápmi's internet pages were opened in 1997. The pan-Nordic Sámi news programme Ođđasat began broadcasting in Finland in 2002. Yle's own Sámi-language television news programme, Yle Ođđasat, was founded in 2013; it uses all three Sámi languages spoken in Finland as presentation languages. In 2017, on the Sámi national day, Yle Sápmi opened Ealli arkiiva, a Sámi-language living archive produced in the three Sámi languages. Yle Sápmi has been led by Juhani Nousuniemi from 1980 to 2012 (editorial manager from 1980, regional head from 1984), Pirita Näkkäläjärvi from 2012 to 2017, Maiju Saijets from 2017 to 2025, and Linnea Rasmus from 1 May 2025. In 2013, Yle Sápmi was awarded the Sámi Language Council's Language Act of the Year 2013 prize and the Skolt Sámi cultural association Saa'mi Nue'tt's Skolt of the Year 2013 prize.

• 2025

  Linnea Rasmus becomes head of Yle Sápmi on 1 May.

• 2017

  Ealli arkiiva, a Sámi-language living archive in three Sámi languages, opens on the Sámi national day.

• 2013

  Yle Ođđasat, Yle's own Sámi-language television news, is founded; Yle Sápmi receives the Language Act of the Year and Skolt of the Year awards.

• 2002

  The pan-Nordic Sámi news programme Ođđasat begins broadcasting in Finland.

• 1997

  Yle Sápmi's internet pages are opened.

• 1994

  Production of Sámi-language services is written into Yleisradio's statutory duties by law.

• 1991

  Sámi-language radio gains its own network in November.

• 1983

  A local office is established in Kaaresuvanto, Enontekiö.

• 1972

  The Sámi-language editorial team moves to Inari and becomes a separate editorial unit.

• 1947

  Regular Sámi-language radio news broadcasts begin in Finland, initially from Oulu.

Public-service Sámi-language news and programming unit within Finland's national broadcaster Yle.

• Yle Ođđasat

  Yle's own national Sámi-language television news programme, broadcast on Yle TV1 on weekdays, using all three Sámi languages spoken in Finland.

• Yle Sámi Radio

  Yle Sápmi's own radio channel, broadcasting on weekday mornings and afternoons; at other times the frequency carries Yle Radio Suomi.

• Ođđasat

  A joint Nordic Sámi news programme broadcast on Yle TV1 on weekdays, to which Yle Sápmi contributes.

• Ealli arkiiva

  A Sámi-language living archive produced in the three Sámi languages, opened in 2017.

1. 1Sápmi | Yle Uutisetyle.fi
2. 2Yle Sápmi – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Yle Sápmi – Wikipedia (Finnish)fi.wikipedia.org