Opening Seminar: WHO CARES? The Role of Journalism in a Changing World

The Jyväskylä Festival launch seminar will explore the role of the media landscape—and journalistic media in particular—in the future.

At the opening seminar, the question will be asked: does journalism matter, and if so, to whom? What is actually understood by journalism today, and what distinguishes journalistic content from other content, for example, that which spreads on digital platforms? What keeps journalistic media alive, and who has access to journalistic media in the first place? Whose stories are told, or will the provinces remain news deserts? Reflecting on these questions Media Decision Maker and manager Merja Ylä-Anttila, group CEO Vesa-Pekka Kangaskorpi (Keskisuomalainen Media Group), reporter Oskari Onninen (Uusi Juttu), Editor-in-Chief Nikke Sillanpää (Rare Media), chaired by the Assistant Professor of Media and Communication Studies Karoliina Talvitie-Lamberg. The discussion will be illustrated live by illustrator Linda Saukko-Rauta. The conversations are held in Finnish.

Merja Ylä-Anttila is an experienced media decision-maker and influencer. Her long career as Editor-in-Chief of MTV News and as CEO of Yleisradio has provided her with a vantage point on Finnish society and the international media landscape.

Vesa-Pekka Kangaskorpi is the group CEO of the media group Keskisuomalainen. He is known as a strong advocate for the importance of domestic news media and the role of media in supporting democracy, building local vitality, and enabling societal discussion. 

Oskari Onninen is a reporter of Uusi Juttu and a pop critic, who specializes in topics related to culture and technology. 

Nikke Sillanpää is the new generation Periodical media Editor-in-Chief of RARE Media. RARE is Finland’s first media outlet dedicated exclusively to social media journalism and is subject to the self-regulation of the Council for Mass Media.

Karoliina Talvitie-Lamberg is an Assistant Professor of Media and Communication Studies at the University of Jyväskylä. She studies issues of belonging to a media society and digital and data-driven inclusion in individuals' media everyday lives in journalistic media environments.

The seminar is organized by the University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä Festival, the City of Jyväskylä, and the Keskisuomalainen Media Group.