Women’s sport events get right to importance on TV

The government on Thursday issued a decree amending the Decree on Audiovisual Services with a provision of giving importance on women’s sports in television broadcasts.

The list of events of major importance for society that have to be broadcast on television will be updated to include those women’s sport events that are equivalent to men’s events already on the list, said the Ministry of Transport and Communications in a press release.

The Decree will enter into force on 1 March 2021.

The list comprises sport events that must be broadcast on TV in the area of Finland so that a substantial proportion of public can follow the coverage of the events free of charge via live coverage or deferred coverage.

The events of major importance for society included summer and winter Olympic Games organised by the International Olympic Committee, opening matches, quarter and semi-finals, and finals of men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup and the matches played in the cup by Finland’s national team, opening matches, quarter and semi-finals, and finals of men’s and women’s UEFA European Football Championships and the matches played in the cup by Finland’s national team, men’s and women’s Ice Hockey World Championships organised by the International Ice Hockey Federation, Nordic World Ski Championships in Nordic skiing organised by the International Ski Federation, World championships in athletics organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations, and European championships in athletics organised by the European Athletics Association.

The opening matches, semi-finals and finals of men’s and women’s Football World and European Championship finals, semi-finals, and finals of men’s and women’s Ice Hockey World Championships, as referred to in the list above, must be broadcast wholly live. The matches of the Finnish national team in both championships must also be broadcast live.

At the same time, amendments required under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive will also be made to the Decree.