History of Helsingin Sanomat

Contents
Major events 5
Main organ of the Young Finns Party founded in the capital 6
Crossing thresholds 8
With youthful enthusiasm and August Schauman’s Marinoni 9
Nuori Suomi (Young Finland) 9
Under pressure from Bobrikov 11
Mute singer 13
Helsingin Sanomat, Päivälehti’s heir 14
“Finland’s most widely circulated newspaper” 16
Ties with the Progressive Party are loosened 22
Latest news 23
An independent liberal newspaper 26
Ilta-Sanomat 30
Lehtikuva 32
New men, old approach 34
Advanced technology, new records 38
Supplements 39
The beginnings of a media group 40
T
Towards a new century 40
The Sanoma School of Journalism 41
A new generation 42
New units 42
Sanomapaino (Sanomaprint) 43
The era of the European Union 44
Digital production 44
Sanoma 45
Taloussanomat 46
Sanoma House 46
Foundations 48
Online opportunities 49
Local focus 51
Broadening horizons 51
New faces, new phases 52
Celebrating the ﬁrst 120 years 52
News from Finland and abroad 53
Helsingin Sanomat today
t 54
The message is everything 54
Päivälehti - Helsingin Sanomat, editors-in-chief 56
Helsingin Sanomat, editors-in-chieff 57
Ilta-Sanomat, editors-in-chief
f 59
Sanoma Corporation / Sanoma News, presidents 61

4 HELSINGIN SANOMAT

Major events
1889 The first sample issue of Päivälehti appears 1989 The Varkaus printing plant is inaugurated.
on 16 November. Seppo Kievari is appointed publisher.
1890 Päivälehti appears six times a week from 1991 Janne Virkkunen is appointed
the beginning of the year. senior editor-in-chief.
1894 The “young” circle associated with Päivälehti 1992 The Forssa printing plant is inaugurated.
forms the Young Finns Party. 1995 Helsingin Sanomat launches its weekly
t
1903 Eero Erkko, one of the newspaper’s founders, supplement, Nyt.
is exiled from Finland. Helsingin Sanomat’s distribution department
1904 The last issue of Päivälehti is published
f is incorporated as Leijonajakelu Oy.
on 3 July. 1996 Helsingin Sanomat launches its online service,
t
The first sample issue of Helsingin Sanomat Verkkoliite.
appears on 7 July. 1997 The financial newspaper Taloussanomat
The Sanoma Corporation is founded. is launched.
1905 Eero Erkko returns to Finland and, a year later, The TV channel Nelonen (Channel Four
becomes chairman of the board of the Sanoma Finland) begins broadcasts.
Corporation. 1999 Sanoma Corporation continues
1909 Eero Erkko becomes editor-in-chief of as a division of the new SanomaWSOY.
Helsingin Sanomat. Seppo Kievari is appointed
1927 Eero Erkko dies. the Sanoma Corporation’s president.
Eljas Erkko, the son of Eero, becomes the Sanoma House is completed.
editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat and
t 2003 Sanomala inaugurates a new printing machine.
president of the Sanoma Corporation. 2004 Mikael Pentikäinen is appointed president
1932 Ilta-Sanomat, the evening edition of of the Sanoma Corporation.
Helsingin Sanomat, appears. 2005 Helsingin Sanomat acquires Radio Helsinki.
t
1954 Helsingin Sanomat has the largest number
t 2008 Sanoma Corporation becomes Sanoma News.
of subscribers in the Nordic countries. Helsingin Sanomat launches the mobile
t
1961 Editor-in-chief Yrjö Niiniluoto dies. version of its online service at HS.fi/mobiili.
T
Teo Mertanen and Aatos Erkko are appointed The HS Teema magazine appears.
chief editors. 2010 Mikael Pentikäinen is appointed publisher and
1965 Eljas Erkko dies. His son, Aatos Erkko, senior editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat.
is appointed president of the Sanoma Pekka Soini becomes the president of
Corporation. Sanoma News.
1967 The Sanoma School of Journalism is Helsingin Sanomat becomes available
t
established. on the iPad.
1976 Väinö J. Nurmimaa is appointed president 2012 The news desk of Channel Four Finland is
of the company. Aatos Erkko continues as integrated into the editorial offices of
chairman of the board. Heikki Tikkanen is Helsingin Sanomat.
appointed senior editor-in-chief.
1977 The Sanomala production plant in Vantaa is
inaugurated.
1983 Helsingin Sanomat launches a monthly
t
supplement, Kuukausiliite.
1984 Jaakko Rauramo is appointed company
president.

HELSINGIN SANOMAT 5

1889
PÄ I VÄ L E H T I
The first sample issue of Päivälehti appears on 16 November.

M A I N ORG A N OF T H E YO U N G Among the
FI NNS PA RT Y FO U N D E D founders of
I N T H E CA P I TAL Päivälehti Eero
Erkko (1860−1927)
In August of 1889 a letter addressed to played a central
“Interested Citizens” was circulated from role. Along with his
duties as editor-
Jyväskylä: in-chief, he
An increasing number of people have shouldered
long expressed the wish that a new Finn- the financial
responsibility.
ish-language newspaper be established in
Helsinki, a paper that will be pro-Finnish
in its political affiliations and take a lib-
eral stand in advocating progress in all
aspects of the contemporary debate. To
fill the need for such a newspaper, we, the
undersigned, have decided to start distri-
buting a Finnish-language newspaper
of the above type as of the beginning of editor-in-chief of the newspaper Keski-
next year. As soon as the total guarantee Suomi, and the authors Arvid Järnefelt
capital of 10,000 marks, which we esti- and Johannes Brofeldt, who later became
mate will cover our needs for next year, known as Juhani Aho.
has been subscribed for, a sample issue At the time this paper, called Päivä-
and the newspaper itself will begin to ap- lehti, was established, Finland was an
pear as of the beginning of 1890. autonomous Grand Duchy of the enor-
The signatories were Eero Erkko, then mous Russian empire. The Russian tsar

Standing are
Kasimir Leino,
E.O. Sjöberg,
Reinhold Roine,
Arvid Järnefelt,
Filip Warén, and
Erkki Reijonen.
Seated: Juhani Aho,
Eero Erkko, and
Santeri Ivalo.

6 HELSINGIN SANOMAT

Päivälehti’s sample issue, 16 November 1889.

HELSINGIN SANOMAT 7

PÄ I VÄ L E H T I

was the ruler of Finland, represented in Finnish-speaking readers and other sup-
the country by a governor-general. As a porters of the views of Päivälehti grew,
guarantee of autonomy, Finland had its the founders believed that a sufficient
own legislation, currency, and legisla- readership would also be found for a
tive assembly, called the Diet of Finland, metropolitan newspaper with more lib-
which, however, the tsar convened only eral views than those advocated by Uusi
infrequently. The Finns were concerned Suometar.
that Pan-Slavism, a strong ideological
movement in Russia, would fuel ultra- C ROS S ING TH R ES H OLD S
nationalist ideas in the mother coun- At the time Päivä- Although the guarantee sum of 10,000
lehti was created,
try. The movement’s supporters waged Arvid Järnefelt Finnish marks, which had been the con-
an increasingly acerbic war of words on (1861−1932) was dition for the establishment of Päivä-
questions that weakened the unity of experiencing lehti, could not be raised, an impressive
a Tolstoyan
the empire, including the issue of Finn- number of prominent personalities,
awakening.
ish autonomy. Having just earned from Santeri Alkio, Minna Canth, and
In Finland a strong nationalistic, pro- a degree in law, Matti Kurikka to E.N. Setälä and Matti
he became a
Finnish movement had emerged in the Äyräpää, signed as guarantors. Their sup-
shoemaker’s
mid-1850s, kindled by J.V. Snellman, J.L. apprentice. port inspired Eero Erkko, Juhani Aho, and
Runeberg, and Elias Lönnrot, the phy- For several years Arvid Järnefelt to follow through with
sician who had compiled the Kalevala, Järnefelt was their audacious idea.
a contributor to
Finland’s epic collection of oral poetry. Päivälehti and The first sample issue of Päivälehti
By the late 1880s leaders of the Finn- its Christmas was dated 16 November 1889. Helsingin
ish movement such as Yrjö-Sakari Yrjö- album, Nuori Suomi Sanomat, the successor of Päivälehti, and
(Young Finland).
Koskinen were seen as elderly members Sanoma News, the company publishing
of Finland’s upper class, and the young Helsingin Sanomat, later celebrated the
radicals were no longer satisfied with date as their anniversary.
their ideas and activities. Introducing itself, Päivälehti, “as it
In the 19th century, the political steps over its readers’ thresholds for the
groupings or parties developed around first time” – probably the words of Juhani
the country’s main publications. Swe- Aho – stated its goals: to promote Finnish
dish Party newspapers dominated the as a cultural and dominant language in
media field in Finland, with Hufvud- order to awaken national awareness and
stadsbladet being the leading newspaper. to increase the educational standard of
The Finnish-language Uusi Suometar, Juhani Aho the people. Not seeking to use the voice
established in 1869, was the beacon of (1861−1921) of a master, but rather that of a servant,
contributed re-
the Finnish Party. views of literature, Päivälehti wanted, “when the occasion
The first organs for the Young Finns art, and theatre to presents itself, to tell our readers frankly
Party were regional papers, such as Kes- Päivälehti as well about ideas both new and old, fearlessly
as his “shavings”
ki-Suomi, edited by Eero Erkko and pub- – causeries, travel
discuss burning questions both in other
lished in Jyväskylä, and Savo, edited by letters, and essays countries and those on the agenda in our
the Brofeldt brothers (Pekka and Juhani on social issues. own country”. And further: “This paper
Aho) and published in Kuopio. Nation- is intended to voice the hopes of our na-
wide debates were concentrated, how- tion and serve as the sincere interpreter
ever, in Helsinki. As the numbers of of its needs.”

8 HELSINGIN SANOMAT

With this proclamation by the Young
Finns, Päivälehti dissociated itself from
s
the “Old” Finnish Party and the editors
of Uusi Suometar, who adopted a more
cautious approach. Päivälehti’s editors
believed that pro-Finnish politicians and
public servants could better advance the
Finnish cause if they could find support
in the hopes and needs of the nation as
expressed through Päivälehti.

W I T H YOU T H F UL E N T HU S IA SM
AN D AU G U ST S C H AU MA N’ S
M A R I NO NI

During the newspaper’s first year, the
daily editorial work remained the re-
sponsibility of two men. Eero Erkko was
unpaid editor-in-chief and treasurer. E.O.
Sjöberg, who had acquired experience
in the Helsinki-based Swedish-language
paper Finland, worked as subeditor and
chief of the international section. The
two other signatories of the proclama-
tion could not participate; Arvid Järnefelt Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s illustration for the cover of
dedicated himself to his studies, and Ju- the Nuori Suomi Christmas album, 1894.
hani Aho stayed in Paris. Naturally, both
of them also wrote articles for Päivä-
Nuori Suomi (Young Finland)
lehti and later, for Helsingin Sanomat. In November of 1891 in his day. Happily, however, this
Järnefelt contributed several dozen arti- foreword to the first Christ- time it is not the fervour
cles, and Aho supplied several hundred. mas album called Nuori of the “Young Finland” cir-
r
Although the supporters of the new Suomi (Young Finland), Ee- cle itself. The prevailing
pro-Finnish paper were loyal and made ro Erkko defined the broad pro-Finnish fervour was ig-
g
considerable sacrifices, the small publi- outlines of Young Finland’s nited among the public at
cation failed to obtain sufficient advertis- agenda. This periodical, large. Not only the “Young”
ing. Päivälehti needed economic support, with its articles, illustrations, and the “Old” but also the
,
which it acquired towards the end of 1890 and musical compositions, pro-Swedish public enthuse
with the founding of Helsingin Suoma- “given out” by the editors of about it. All the reading pub-
lainen Sanomalehti Osakeyhtiö (the Hel- Päivälehti, was immediate- lic has been seized by one
sinki Finnish Newspaper Company). ly sold out. Columnist Tie- great passion. Each and
Encouraged by this support, Päivä- ra (Santeri Ivalo) wrote in every one of them would like
lehti’s editors hastened to publish a huge Päivälehti on 23 December to get Päivälehti’s Christmas
edition in the name of the new company: 1891: An absolute “Young album “Nuori Suomi”.
50,000 copies appeared on 15 December Finland” frenzy prevails to-
1890. The size of the paper had grown;

HELSINGIN SANOMAT 9

1890
PÄ I VÄ L E H T I
Päivälehti appears six times a week from the beginning of the year.

the publication time had advanced from
afternoon to seven o’clock in the morn-
ing; and three young men were hired to
boost the editorial staff, all with universi-
ty degrees. One of them, Santeri Ingman
(later known as Santeri Ivalo), would be-
come one of the pillars of the paper until
his death forty-seven years later. Anoth-
er, Filip Warén, was a man with many of
the talents needed by Päivälehti: meeting
narrator, reporter, and translator, who
served as a stenographer in the Finnish
Diet; “as a good singer, he often made the
walls of the small office resound with his
hilarious folk songs”. Kasimir Lönnbohm
(who later Finnicized his family name to
Leino), a linguistic virtuoso and seeker of
truth, was Päivälehti’s literary authority
from 1890 to 1898, and his productivity
was comparable to Aho’s. Lönnbohm la-
ter introduced his poetry-writing young-
er brother, known as Eino Leino, into the
Päivälehti circle; at the age of 21, Eino Lei-
no succeeded Kasimir as theatre critic. Ei-
no Leino’s responsibilities at Päivälehti
expanded to include work as editor and
the writing of causeries under various Kasimir Leino
pseudonyms, the best known of which (1866–1919)
were Mikko Vilkastus and Teemu. al institutions”, and the party affiliation
At the beginning of 1891, the content of the paper was to remain fundamen-
of Päivälehti was defined as consisting of tally pro-Finnish.
“matters for educating the people, tem- The first sample issues of Päivälehti
perance, the workers’ cause both at home were produced on a Marinoni machine
and abroad, the women’s movement, re- at Hufvudstadsbladet’s printing house.
porting on the work of the Diet, the natu- On 6 December 1889, Eero Erkko and Au-
ral sciences, legal questions, and, in the gust Schauman, the owner of the print-
foreign section, current news and pre- ing house, signed a contract. From the
sentations of the leading movements beginning of 1892, production on the
and ideologies of our time”. The liter- same Marinoni machine continued, ex-
ary section was to be “given particular- cept that Päivälehti had acquired the
ly great attention”. The most important Eino Leino machine, which was moved from Schau-
feature in the newspaper’s content, how- (1878–1926) man’s printing house at Fabianinkatu to
ever, was constitutionalism, “to support rented localities at Korkeavuorenkatu.
and promote our laws and all our nation- The printing was now “its own master,

10 HELSINGIN SANOMAT

1894
PÄ I VÄ L E H T I
The “young” circle associated with Päivälehti forms the Young Finns Party.

not dependent on anyone”. Päivälehti’s young editorial staff be-
But the editorial staff was still came known as Nuoren Suomen klubi
squeezed into two small rented rooms (the Young Finland Club). An extensive
on Fabianinkatu. There was no end to series of Booklets to Citizens was pub-
the visitors to their office, both contri- lished in the club’s name to address po-
butors and friends. There were com- litical, social, and cultural questions, and
posers, such as Robert Kajanus, Armas the “Young Party”, also called the “Young
Järnefelt, Oskar Merikanto, and Jean Sibe- Finns Party”, which subsequently adopt-
lius; artists, including Väinö Blomstedt, ed the name “Constitutional Pro-Finnish
Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Eero Järnefelt, and Party” and whose activity from 1918 was
Pekka Halonen; authors and linguists, continued by the National Progressive
such as Werner Söderhjelm; and natu- Party, was formed in this circle.
rally Päivälehti’s “own” poet J.H. Erkko,
Eero Erkko’s older brother and an inde- U ND E R P R ES S UR E F ROM
fatigable supporter of the paper, who was Tekla Hultin B O B R IKOV

already a renowned lyric poet and writer (1864–1943) Päivälehti was often delayed because of
of plays in verse. Public servants, lawyers, printing restrictions. Censorship was a
and politicians, both from Helsinki and fact of life; every newspaper had its own
the countryside, also frequented the pa- censor, who reviewed all texts before
per’s editorial offices. publication, causing newspapers to suf- f
The circle soon acquired the ha- fer expensive delays. In 1897 Päivälehti
bit of gathering, especially on Saturday was delayed 40 times; the following year
evenings, to socialize, sing, and above it was delayed 98 times, owing to print-
all, discuss. Working late into the night, ing embargos. To mislead the censor,
those proficient at languages translat- the newspapers started writing about
ed telegrams received through the Of- unpleasant news in the form of allego-
fice of Finland’s Telegraphs from abroad ries that their readers would understand;
and newspapers from St Petersburg. The regrettably, the censors soon learned to
presence of a female editor caused no understand them too.
complaints. Päivälehti was the first Finn- K.J. Ståhlberg In 1899, soon after Nikolai Bobrikov
(1865–1952)
ish paper to hire a woman on its editorial had been appointed Governor-Gener-
staff: Tekla Hultin. One of the first female al of Finland, Päivälehti was suspended
graduate students and the first woman for three months, from the end of Au-
in Finland to receive a doctoral degree gust until the end of November. In 1900
(in 1896, in the field of history), Hultin Bobrikov ordered the dismissal of Eero
worked in the international section of Erkko from his post as editor-in-chief.
the newspaper from 1892 to 1901. Juhani Aho’s reaction was to send
Beginning in 1894, a contributor us- Erkko a six-page letter, actually one of his
ing the initials K.J.S. joined the staff. This “shavings”, saying, “Allow me to congra-
was the lawyer Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg, tulate you on this day”. Eino Leino wrote
who was a consulting member of the a poem for Erkko.
staff and advisor to the paper from 1908 On Erkko’s official dismissal day, 26
until 1919, the year he was elected Presi- April 1900, he was feted at a citizens’ ban-
dent of Finland. quet, which could not, of course, be re-

HELSINGIN SANOMAT 11

1903
PÄ I VÄ L E H T I
Eero Erkko, one of the newspaper’s founders, is exiled from Finland.

ported in Päivälehti. Erkko was allowed to Eero Erkko This is a protest of a kind that will have a
remain in Päivälehti’s service nominally departing into double effect: a protest against those who
exile from the
as a staff journalist. Santeri Ivalo was ap- suspended the papers and an expression
Helsinki railway
pointed editor-in-chief. The same year station in the of support for the suspended paper. In the
Päivälehti was served a new, three-month spring of 1903. two senses, it is all the more powerful, the
suspension order, from the beginning of larger the faction of society that joins.
November 1900 until the end of January The appeal had the desired effect, and
1901. The board members of the newspa- the paper’s readership increased. “This
per sent around the following circular: fact gives the editors of the paper the best
You the highly honoured! We disre- possible encouragement and inspiration
gard whether you are a reader or a friend in their endeavours”, Päivälehti wrote
of Päivälehti. But we certainly believe that on 1 February 1901. But survival was not
you are a patriot. And we are turning to easy, because already at the beginning of
just such persons. Because we are con- June, the paper was again suspended for
vinced that every citizen of our fatherland another four months.
beholds with the same sorrow and con- In 1903 Bobrikov served an exile or-
sternation how the suspensions of news- der on Eero Erkko, who was known to be
papers still continue and willingly joins an active member of the underground
in a protest against them. The best pro- resistance, “among the most prominent
test is to subscribe to the suspended paper agitators of the secret resistance move-
from the date it again begins to appear. ment and disseminator of underground


literature”. Erkko received a letter from
the regional Administrative authorities
that read:
His Excellency the Governor-General
has announced ... that His Majesty the Em-
peror with His highest authority has con-
sented to forbid you to reside in Finland ...
Accordingly, you are ordered to tra-
vel outside the borders of Finland within
three days as of the 7th day of May 1903.
If you fail to leave Finland within the pre-
scribed time ... or if you return to Finland
without due authorisation, you shall be
treated as stipulated in Section 2 of the
above-mentioned Merciful Decree, i.e.
that duly authorised persons shall arrest
you and take you to a designated place paper reported on 2 June 1904. “This ma-
within the Empire. chine will render all printing work done
Erkko left without delay for the by human hands unnecessary; the ma-
United States. His wife Maissi Erkko chine prints, binds, cuts, and even does
and their three sons followed him a few the makeup right down to the finish. You
months later. In 1905 the Erkko family only need to ensure that the machine has
was allowed to return to Finland. enough paper and then simply take the
ready papers from a nice box. As for the
M U T E S I N GE R speed, the average number of copies of
Erkko’s exile did not completely under- Architects a four-sheet, eight-page newspaper of
mine Päivälehti’s belief in its future; Gesellius, Lindgren, seven columns is 5,500-6,500 an hour.”
and Saarinen
with a view to better times – or at least The new building received a flood of
designed the
the hope of them – the newspaper com- Päivälehti building. congratulations. From J.H. Erkko came
pany decided to acquire its own building. the lines:
Even though Päivälehti was once again May your house admit the light of day
suspended, for a month in the late win- As Päivälehti paves the way!
ter of 1904, the new building went up on Work on in your profession
schedule, and the newspaper moved its Till freedom vanquishes oppression!
headquarters, offices, and printing plant However, not many newspapers
into a structure designed by the archi- would be printed in the new building. On
tects Eliel Saarinen, Armas Lindgren, and 16 June 1904, Eugen Schauman, a Finn-
Herman Gesellius. The building was lo- ish nationalist who worked as a clerk in
cated at Ludviginkatu 4 in Helsinki. the Senate, assassinated Governor-Gen-
In addition to its own building, eral Bobrikov on the stairs of the Senate,
Päivälehti acquired a new printing ma- and the censors became even more alert.
chine “of a type never before seen in Fin- Päivälehti’s allegorical editorial, “At Mid-
land”. “The Cox Duplex press is a nice summer”, which declared that light will
device to see and even nicer to run”, the always overcome darkness, was consi-


1904
PÄ I VÄ L E H T I
The last issue of Päivälehti is published on 3 July.

dered sufficient reason finally to muzzle ny” called Helsingin Uusi Kirjapaino-
the paper. Osakeyhtiö was established to ensure the
At its meeting on 27 June 1904 the Na- future of the printing house, and its arti-
tional Board of Publication decided that cles of association were dated 8 July 1904.
Päivälehti would be “closed down forever The sample issue of Helsingin Sano-
as of the date on which the editor- in- chief, mat made no mention of Päivälehti. On
t
Santeri Ivalo, PhD, has been served writ- its front page the new paper published
ten notice of this decision”. One week la- “the Supreme Rescript” issued by the
ter, on 3 July 1904, Päivälehti published Court in St Petersburg to announce the
a slightly confused one-column piece of appointment of Prince Ivan Obolenski
news: as the new Governor-General of Finland.
Päivälehti closed down forever. Ac- Tsar Nikolai II stated among other things:
cording to rumours said to be certain, Concern about the extremely close
Päivälehti has been definitively closed ties with the rest of the Empire has al-
down by the printing authority. Today’s ways been the steadfast goal of the Im-
issue of our paper, which has been pub- perial Government and shall remain so
lished for nearly fifteen years, would thus in the future.
be the last. We have received no official The facing column, entitled “A word
notice as yet. But in the eventuality that about signposts”, introduced the new
this issue of Päivälehti will be its last, we publication, Helsingin Sanomat. The pa-
wish to express our gratitude to all the per was mindful of censorship and wrote
contributors, friends, and readers of the about improving agriculture and activi-
past years. ties to benefit the landless population; it
Eino Leino wrote a commemorative spoke of forming cooperatives, about ab-
poem entitled Mute Singer: An Old Bal- stinence – in those days all parties sup-
lad, which was duplicated and distri- ported temperance –, about promoting
buted. literature and the arts among the peo-
ple. As Päivälehti had done, “Helsingin
H E L S I NG I N S AN O M AT, Sanomat desires to work as a purely
PÄ I VÄ L E H T I ’ S H E IR pro-Finnish paper of the people. There
The Young Finns Party that had formed is much to do; as can be seen, workers
around Päivälehti thus lost its most im- will be needed.”
portant mouthpiece and was pressed to The newspaper’s first task was to
found a successor to the paper and save obtain a publishing permit, which was
its printing plant. granted after two suspenseful months.
On 7 July 1904, only four days after Two new sample issues were published,
Päivälehti ceased publication, the first on 24 and 28 September 1904, and the
sample issue of Helsingin Sanomat came
t paper began to appear regularly at the
off the press. Paavo Warén, PhD, brother beginning of October, from Tuesday to
of the journalist Filip Warén, a contribu- Sunday.
tor to Päivälehti, and not known to have At the same time, the paper submit-
any political affiliations, was appointed ted an application to the Imperial Finn-
the new editor-in-chief. ish Senate “by which Z. Castrén and
A “printing and publishing compa- numerous other persons have requested


1904
H E L S I N G I N S A N O M AT
The ﬁrst sample issue of Helsingin Sanomat appears on 7 July.
The Sanoma Corporation is founded.

Helsingin Sanomat’s sample issue, 7 July 1904.


1905
Eero Erkko returns to Finland and, a year later, becomes chairman of
the board of the Sanoma Corporation.

approval of the draft for the Articles of
Association for Sanoma Osakeyhtiö (the
Sanoma Corporation), the purpose of the
company being to produce a Finnish-lan-
guage newspaper and other publications
in the city of Helsinki”. As soon as the ar-
ticles of association had been approved,
the Sanoma Corporation held its consti-
tutive meeting on 19 November 1904.

“ F I NL A ND’ S M O ST W ID E LY
CI RC U L AT E D N EWS PA P E R”

The principal new mouthpiece of the
Young Finns Party soon found its reader-
ship. Immediately after its establishment
Helsingin Sanomat promptly reached
Päivälehti’s record with a circulation of
8,000 readers. Its publishing circum-
stances were slightly freer than dur-
ing Bobrikov’s era. Thanks to a general
strike organized in 1905, both in Finland
and throughout Russia, advance censor-
ship was temporarily abolished. About
this time exiled Finns were permitted
to return, among them Eero Erkko, who
was appointed chairman of the Sanoma
Corporation’s board of directors. Heikki
Renvall was the editor-in-chief during
the six-month period 29 December 1905
to 14 June 1906, and was succeeded by
Severi Nuormaa, who held the post until
the end of 1908.
Helsingin Sanomat’s vigorous deve-
lopment led to the acquisition of a big-
ger newspaper printing machine in 1908.
The rotation machine built by Koenig &
Bauer produced 12,000 sixteen-page co-
pies an hour and 24,000 eight-page co- of architects as before was constructed Helsingin Sanomat’s
pies an hour, cut to size. It was now for the newspaper at Ludviginkatu 6, im- mailing department,
1909.
possible to print in two colours, such mediately adjacent to the existing “tower
as black and red. “This has great sig- building”.
niﬁcance for advertisers, who can now A new era of Russiﬁcation began in
make eye-catching advertisements”. An- Finland in 1908, and political and nation-
other building designed by the same trio al independence was strangled by meas-


ures that, in the opinion of the Finnish again assumed the duties of editor-in-
people, were unconstitutional. Conse- chief. The paper now had eleven full-
quently, Helsingin Sanomat retained the
t time journalists, one illustrator, and ﬁve
“same pro-Finnish democratic and liber- foreign correspondents: in St Petersburg,
al programme for progress based on the Stockholm, Kristiania (Oslo), Rome, and
same constitutional rights” as before. London. The list of permanent contribu-
At the beginning of 1909, Eero Erkko tors in Finland published in the 32-page


1909
Eero Erkko becomes editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat.

issue of the paper – “the largest issue of
a Finnish newspaper ever published any-
where in the world” − on the 20th an-
niversary of Päivälehti’s second sample
issue on 5 December 1909 included 134
names.
Towards the end of 1911, the editorial
office acquired “an electric stenographer,
a Parlograph by its foreign name, to serve
the newspaper in Finland”. It was a dic-
tating machine that recorded the sound
of a voice on wax cylinders and received
both international and domestic tele-
phone news, thus facilitating the work
of news reporters.
When in 1914 Helsingin Sanomat Journalists the team of news editors.
increased its workday circulation to Heikki Repo, When the First World War broke out in
Eero Alpi, and
28,000, it became, according to the pub- Heikki Kokko 1914, Helsingin Sanomat’s editions were
licity of the time, “Finland’s most widely in the domestic confiscated several times; one such occa-
circulated newspaper”. The same year it news department sion was 5 August 1914, the reason being
in 1909.
applied to the National Board of Publi- Tiitus’s column, entitled “They’re already
cation for permission to appear on days firing”. The National Board of Publica-
after public holidays; with permission tion issued daily oral and written expul-
granted, publication times increased to sion and suspension threats about what
seven days a week. Ilmari Kivinen, later was not allowed to be mentioned in the
known throughout the country as the newspaper. “No reporting was permitted
columnist Tiitus, was a new recruit on about the movements of Russian troops
Helsingin Sanomat
on the southern coast of Finland or in
was distributed by general about any incidents or activities
the company’s own of any kind”, the log of the editorial of-
f
delivery staff and
fice stated.
postmen.
On the other hand, there was no ban
on war news from more distant fronts,
and Helsingin Sanomat dedicated re-
sources to that work. Eero Erkko secured
access to reliable, up-to-date informa-
tion by arranging a supply of Swedish
papers via the western border station of
Haaparanta. The quality of the articles
was insured by Dr Rudolf Holsti, who
was invited to join the staff and who la-
ter served a long tenure as the foreign
minister of Finland.
Readers were interested in war news,


and the newspaper’s circulation grew
rapidly. Numerous supplements – sheets
called telegrammes – were industrious-
ly produced. Developments on faraway
fronts were reported by printing large
editions of these one-page supplements,
which telegramme delivery boys and
girls rushed out to sell to news-hungry
inhabitants of the capital.
To make distribution more conven-
ient and to increase advertising sales,
Helsingin Sanomat founded a branch of- f
fice in Siltasaari in 1915. True to its mis-
sion of increasing the nation’s passion
for reading, the paper opened a lending
library in its office for the young people
delivering its telegrammes. In the frugal
war years, the office also provided them
with “modern, flexible lace-up shoes
with wooden soles” so they could “take
off father’s heavy boots, mother’s worn-
out shoes or their tattered felt or rubber
boots padded with rags”.
In 1916 newsagents received a let-
ter signed by the newspaper’s editor-in-
chief, Eero Erkko, and its treasurer, Aarne Helsingin The same year the newspaper ob-
Sanomat’s lion
Kauppila, thanking them for increasing tained its first logo: a lion holding a quill
logo was created
the number of subscribers. The paper in 1916. and leaning against a roll of newsprint.
also thanked its advertisers: “We have the The designer was Topi Vikstedt.
pleasure of informing you that since 25 In March of 1917 Tsar Nikolai II was
March, Helsingin Sanomat has appeared
h t overthrown in the Russian Revolution,
on Sundays and holidays in editions of and Vladimir Lenin seized power. Fin-
more than 50,000 copies.” land proclaimed independence on 6 De-
To celebrate this milestone, the paper cember 1917. The censorship that had
published a 32-page jubilee supplement held the press in bondage lost its grip, but
on Sunday, 4 April 1916. Its editorial ma- the freer climate did not bring happier
terial included a presentation of the com- news. There were still more than 100,000
pany’s activities, for instance, a series of Russian soldiers in Finnish territory, and
photographs showing newspapers being the country had not yet managed to se-
loaded behind the Ludviginkatu building ver all of its ties with the former mother
for transport on mail trains. “The horses country. Finland was divided internally
of the Helsinki Transport Company fetch between Reds, who supported socialism,
seven such loads from our building on and Whites, who opposed it. The politi-
Sundays”, the paper reported. cal situation quickly deteriorated as im-



Stacks of newspapers being loaded for transport to the railway station in 1916.


portation of food was interrupted from a
Russia that had fallen into chaos.
The troubled times hit the editorial
offices of Helsingin Sanomat in the sum-
t
mer of 1917. The paper did not appear on
either 14 or 15 August, because the local
Social Democrat organization, provoked
by the food shortages, had declared a
general municipal strike in Helsinki.
Non-socialist newspapers were suspend-
ed, and Helsingin Sanomat was in a state
t
of siege. Pickets showed up at the offices
at Ludviginkatu to make sure that no one
would try to work.
In 1918 during the Finnish civil war,
Helsingin Sanomat was suspended for
more than two months, from 28 Janu-
ary to 12 April. The Red Guards invaded
the newspaper’s offices and confiscated
the printing plant for use in producing
the official information bulletin of the
people’s delegation during the civil war.
Erkko was arrested at the beginning of
March after a search of the newspaper’s
premises the previous night. As the edi-
tor of a counterrevolutionary newspaper,
he was declared a prisoner of war. Santeri
Ivalo was also imprisoned.
When the German troops sent to sup-
port the White Army arrived in Helsin-
ki on 12 April 1918, Erkko and Ivalo were
released, and the armed guards left the
newspaper building. The next day, Hel-
singin Sanomat was published as a one-
t
page leaflet with the “The latest news of
the day”; the following day it appeared
in two pages, and on 15 April, in four pa-
ges. It reappeared in its normal size on
16 April. As an illustration of the chaotic
situation, the first three issues were mis-
takenly dated “March” rather than April.
In the post-war, hate-filled climate, arti-
cles written by K.J. Ståhlberg in Helsingin
Sanomat reminded readers of the impor-
t



Helsingin Sanomat’s tance of national unity. The paper also 1918. The monarchist pro-German move-
riﬂe team in 1929. warned that the victorious Whites must ment that had been supported in Fin-
From the left:
Eljas Erkko,
not turn the wheel of progress back- land after the civil war died out, and a
Yrjö Niiniluoto, wards, and it encouraged them to pro- constitutional republic, which Helsingin
Rafael Lieto, ceed with the necessary social reforms. Sanomat had supported with all of its
Toivo Vitikka,
available resources, was adopted as the
Ilmari Kivinen, and
Jonkka Seppänen.
T IE S WIT H T HE P RO G R ES S IV E polity for Finland. Santeri Ivalo was again
PA RT Y A R E LO O S E N E D chief editor from the end of 1918 until the
The Great War ended with Germany’s spring of 1920, while Eero Erkko served as
surrender to the Allies in November of a minister in three rapidly changing, suc-


cessive governments in the early years of the national and political development
the Republic. of the nation, the paper’s management
Once more it was necessary to ac- must in the future bear sole responsibi-
quire a larger rotation machine to en- lity for the topical matters published in
sure the future development of Helsingin the paper”.
Sanomat; the machine in turn required
an extension of the facilities at Ludvi- L ATE ST N EWS
ginkatu. A third building for the newspa- Wireless telegraphy was one of the great-
per company was completed in 1919; the est inventions of the 20th century. For a
architect Urho Åberg designed it as an in- newspaper, access to the latest news was
tegral part of the two existing buildings a competitive advantage, and radio waves
and connected them with a single façade. accelerated the transmission of news
Even if Helsingin Sanomat had not sup-
t considerably. Helsingin Sanomat began
ported the German candidate proposed receiving telegraphed news from Euro-
to become the king of Finland, the pa- pean news agencies in 1921 with the as-
per’s editors had faith in German tech- sistance of a young radio amateur, the
nology. The Vomag printing machine, nephew of J.E. Eteläpää, who was working
which later proved to be a valuable acqui- as an editor in the foreign section. Previ-
sition, arrived in Finland in the autumn ously, the arrival of foreign news via Swe-
of 1920. Only then were the newspaper’s den had taken up to three days. In 1922
publishing delays, which had tested the Eero Erkko became the first person in
patience of subscribers in many places, Finland to be granted permission to use
finally eliminated. wireless telegraphic equipment in order
The National Progressive Party had to receive news telegrams for Helsingin
rented office facilities at Ludviginkatu 6. Sanomat. The advertising slogan “Hel-
On 19 January 1920, the party manage- singin Sanomat prints the latest foreign
ment sent a letter to the board of Hel- news” was thus justified.
singin Sanomat, suggesting that in or- In the summer of 1927 Eero Erkko’s
der to ensure as close a cooperation as eldest son, Eljas, a law graduate, was
possible, “the chairman of the party ma- hired as assistant chief editor “for the
nagement and an agricultural expert of editorial and financial sections”. When
its choice be granted the right to check Eero Erkko died the same autumn, the du-
articles of a general political nature in- ties of chief were shared by two lawyers,
tended for publication in the paper and Eljas Erkko and W.W. Tuomioja. Eljas Erk-
to discuss them with the editors”. ko was also elected Sanoma Corporation’s
In its answer the board mentioned president. Before his career as a journa-
the “close ties, which have always pre- list, Erkko had spent five years serving
vailed both with the Young Party and the foreign ministry as a diplomat in
subsequently with the central organs of Finnish legations in Paris, Tallinn, and
the National Progressive Party, whose London.
party platforms and goals the paper has Helsingin Sanomat’s richly illustrat-
always endorsed and championed”, but ed weekly supplement was published for
at the same time it announced the de- the first time on 4 December 1927, and
cision that “from the point of view of the comic strip Pulliainen (“An Ordinary


1927
Eero Erkko dies. Eljas Erkko, the son of Eero, becomes the editor-in-chief of
Helsingin Sanomat and president of the Sanoma Corporation.
t

Joe”) drawn by Akseli Halonen became
a permanent feature of the supplement.
Cartoons were purchased from other
countries. Felix the Cat first appeared in
1929, and its competitor, Mickey Mouse –
“the funniest animal of the century” – ar-
rived on the scene in 1931. In the spring of
1933 Finnish children began to colour the
Katzenjammer Kids, published as a car-
toon strip in the weekly supplement, only
one month later than American children,
and Popeye arrived in March of 1936. The
weekly supplement continued to appear
until the beginning of the Winter War in
1939.
Helsingin Sanomat’s evening edition,
Ilta-Sanomat, was created on 29 Febru-
ary 1932. Its first editor-in-chief was its
founder, Eljas Erkko, who became Hel-
singin Sanomat’s only editor-in-chief in
1931.
“HS has always done its best and
avoided no sacrifice to bring its readers
as close to the latest events as is human-
ly possible. Whenever anything excep-
tional occurs, the paper can acquire the
latest authenticated stories and pictures
through its own resources.” For years
Radio reports this was the assurance given by Helsingin
from the Berlin Sanomat in its subscription campaigns.
t
Olympics could be
heard at Ludvigin-
Sometimes even the latest news was not
katu in 1936. good enough. Central Europe fell under a
dictatorship, and the quality of informa-
tion received from the area deteriorated.
In 1933, after the National Socialists had
risen to power in Germany, Helsingin Sa-
nomat was forced to terminate its news
t
service agreement with the Ullstein news
agency in Berlin, because “as of spring,
we have no longer received reliable in-
formation from you about the situation
The weekly in Germany”.
supplement Viikko-
liite was launched Kyösti Kallio, the president of Fin-
in 1927. land, appointed Eljas Erkko as Finland’s


1932
I LT A - S A N O M A T
Ilta-Sanomat, the evening edition of Helsingin Sanomat, appears.

The ﬁrst issue of Ilta-Sanomat appeared on 29 February 1932.
f t



foreign minister in December of 1938.
Yrjö Niiniluoto, then editor of Helsingin
Sanomat’s foreign news section, suc-
ceeded Erkko as chief editor. Eero Erkko
had “borrowed” Niiniluoto in 1925 from
the University of Helsinki, sending him
to work for three years as a correspon-
dent in Geneva, and for three years more
in the office of The Times in London.
Newspaper growth stagnated in the
1920s, but the trend turned around af- f
ter the depression in the early 1930s. By
the end of the decade, Helsingin Sano-
mat’s circulation exceeded 80,000, and The editorial staff of the rotation machine as booty. The
the number of pages had to be increased, in 1944. Seated, equipment was stranded in Liverpool,
from the left:
owing to its growing content and adver- Maija-Liisa Heini,
the port of departure, but it was spared
tising volume. Once again the company Sirkka Ruotsalainen, in the air raids; it had to be repurchased
had to acquire a new rotation machine. and Seere Salminen. after the war, albeit at the price of scrap
Standing are
This time it was ordered from England in iron, and was finally installed in 1946.
Jussi Eteläpää,
the year 1938. Because of the outbreak of Katri Tiainen, In 1942 the board of the Sanoma Cor-
the Second World War, the delivery time Aili Laine, poration decided to introduce two new
of the machine, manufactured by Hoe Anna-Liisa Tujunen, advertising subcategories: “real estate”,
Arvi Uimonen,
& Crabtree Ltd, was long: the first four Jaakko Kaila, and under items “for sale”, and “personal”,
units of a total of ten were transported Jouko ( Jopi) under “miscellaneous”. Also pen pal ad-
via Petsamo in 1940 and installed in 1942 Ruotsalainen. vertisements were permitted, provided
by workers who were on military fur- the texts remained “within rigorous
lough. The extra printing capacity was standards of decency”. This category
badly needed because in difficult times, grew rapidly because the furloughs of
the hunger for news is great. Despite the soldiers were short, and in those days cor-
shortage of paper, colours, metals, and respondence was often the only means
labour, the newspaper’s circulation grew for young people to get acquainted.
rapidly. England, which had become an
enemy of Finland in December of 1941, A N IND E P END E NT L IB E R A L
confiscated the remaining six units NEWSPA P ER

From the beginning of 1943, Helsingin
Helsingin Sanomat’s
building sustained Sanomat was subtitled “An indepen-
considerable dent newspaper”. It confirmed what
damage during the had been fact for years: Helsingin Sano-
bombing of Hel-
mat’s ties to the Progressive Party, which
sinki in 1944. Jopi
Ruotsalainen, Mario was formed as a successor to the Young
Talaskivi, and Yrjö Finns Party and had been established in
Niiniluoto worked
1918, had been severed. Helsingin Sano-
temporarily in the
composing room. mat was now officially an independent
newspaper.


Eljas Erkko inaugurating the rotation machine in 1942. The ten-year-old Aatos Erkko is standing by the stairs.



Sunday of December had to be cancelled.
After the war, the difficulties were
gradually overcome. The country ma-
naged to deliver the required war indem-
nifications, and reconstruction advanced
at a brisk pace. The metropolitan region
attracted people, and Helsingin Sanomat
acquired many new readers. The paper
served them by increasing the number
and the currency of the photographs.
The first telephoto news images were
received at the editorial office on 10 Oc-
tober 1948. The following year, Ilta-Sano-
mat separated from Helsingin Sanomat
t
and became an independent newspaper
in its own right. In 1951 the company de-
cided to establish a photo agency, Lehti-
kuva Oy, to satisfy the growing demand
for news photos.
There was a tremendous passion for
reading in Finland in the 1950s. Within a
decade Helsingin Sanomat had become
t
one of the leading newspapers in the Nor-
The newspaper’s building sustained Helsingin Sanomat dic countries. In 1956 its circulation ex-
considerable damage in the third major on 2 August 1952. ceeded 250,000. This figure had almost
air raid on Helsinki, on 26 February 1944. been reached during the Helsinki Olym-
The Chattels Indemnification Associa- pics in 1952, when the paper included an
tion was sent an eight-page list of losses. English-language news supplement for
It had already become routine to print foreign visitors and athletes. This growth
the paper in the building’s basement air led to a by-now familiar phenomenon: In
raid shelter, but now there was no elec- 1954 the company again decided to or-
tricity, and there was no way of print- der a new rotation machine capable of
ing the newspaper, which otherwise was printing on thicker paper, placing the
ready, for the next day. Yet despite the order with Hoe & Crabtree. One of the
numerous technical difficulties, print- most suspenseful events of these years
ing was interrupted for only one night. Ilta-Sanomat on
t took place in 1956, when a general strike
Paper was rigorously rationed during 2 June 1953. in March turned violent. As the print-
the war. Non-subscription sales of the ing plant was not working, owing to the
newspaper had to be limited, and towards strike, Helsingin Sanomat duplicated ex-
the end of 1944, Helsingin Sanomat ex-t tra leaflets. To avoid similar difficulties,
perienced a newspaper administration’s the graphics industry signed a compre-
nightmare: prepaid advertisements had hensive industrial peace agreement that
to be refused because of a paper short- attracted world-wide attention.
age; six advertising pages for the first Continued on page 34.


1954
Helsingin Sanomat has the largest number of subscribers in
the Nordic countries.

Helsingin Sanomat’s journalists in the summer of 1958. Standing, from the left: Irene Huurre, Inkeri Similä,
Pertti Nykänen, Antti Vahtera, Aaro Melasniemi, Olavi Aula, Heikki Tikkanen, and Totti Noisniemi.
Seated, from the left: Maija-Liisa Heini, Taimi Torvinen, Väinö Kostamo, Kerttu Vaartila, and Pekka Tarkka.
In front, Pekka Hiekkala and Markus Leppo.


I LTA -SANOMAT

Journalists of Ilta-Sanomat in 1970. From left: Leevi Korkkula, Hannes Markkula, Maija Tallgren,
t
Päivi Haukinen, and Pia Salavirta.

Ilta-Sanomat ki from 1974 to 1984. Vesa-Pekka
Koljonen became senior editor-in-
Ilta-Sanomat was founded as the
t chief in 1985 and Antti-Pekka Pie-
evening edition of Helsingin Sano- tilä in 2003. Pietilä was followed
mat on 29 February 1932 during
t by Hannu Savola in 2006. Tapio
T
the Mäntsälä rebellion, the failed Sadeoja was appointed as senior
attempt to overthrow the Finnish editor-in-chief in early 2007, after
government. Its founder, Eljas Erk-
k Savola’s unexpected death. Since
ko, served as its ﬁrst senior editor- the summer of 2010, Sadeoja has
in-chief. He was succeeded by Yrjö also served as the publisher of Ilta-
Niiniluoto in 1938. In 1949 Ilta- Journalist Pekka Hiekkala with Sanomat.
Maj-Britt Wallander at Ilta-
Sanomat created its own editorial
t Sanomat’s Women’s Photo Shoot Over the years Ilta-Sano-
proﬁle and separated from Helsin- in the summer of 1969. mat has expanded to become
gin Sanomat, becoming the quality a newspaper that offers enter-
r
tabloid it continues to be. Eero Pe- T
Teo Mertanen served as se- tainment and sports in addition
täjäniemi, the London correspon- nior editor-in-chief from 1956 to to news. Veikkaaja, a sports and
dent of Helsingin Sanomat, was 1961, Heikki Tikkanen from 1961 betting weekly, has been part of
appointed the newspaper’s senior to 1966, Olavi Aarrejärvi from 1966 the Ilta-Sanomat product family
t
editor-in-chief. to 1973, and Martti Huhtamä- since 2002. The Plus supplement is


IS-raportti Lena Meriläisen kivuliaat kasvohoidot
MITRON 47 PISTOA 31

KAHDET OSTA
KASVOT 6
myös nämä!

Osta Ilta-Sanomien kanssa: Tv-lehti 2,50 €, Veikkaaja 3,80 €,
PERJANTAI 25.11.2011 HINTA 1,30 € Joulu 3,80 €, NHL 3,80 €, Marskin ritarit 3,80 € iltasanomat.fi

JJ upotti muskeliveneen 90-luvulla

VANHA
TURMA
SALATTIIN
RAJU ROOLI
Tanssitähti Jani Toivolan KANERVA
8

KATSO KUVAT TV-SARJASSA
AVAUTUU
22 9 tekstarikohusta
002154 - 1147 ‚ ‚ N:o 274
11047
Autot: Dodge on nyt Fiat Uutiset: Varo valekalakukko-
6 414880 021545
kauppiasta! Urheilu: Lepistö kuoleman porteilta töihin

Ilta-Sanomat’s senior news editor Merja Mähkä in 2009.
In the background is news editor Kari Järvinen.

Ilta-Sanomat has actively de -
t
veloped digital content. Its web-
site at iltasanomat.fi was launched
in 1996. The fee-based digital ver-
sion of Ilta-Sanomat first appeared
in 2004. In the same year, Ilta-Sa-
nomat Sports News premiered on
the Nelonen television channel.
The iPad version of Ilta-Sanomat
first appeared in early 2011. In
11001

the summer of 2011 Ilta-Sanomat 6 414880 024027

Tapio Sadeoja, senior editor-in-
launched the IS TV application,
V
chief and publisher.
making it possible to watch the Naiset paljastavat: Näin himo iskee arjessa
» 15 tarinaa yllättävästä seksistä » Kassaneiti iski asiakkaan » Liikennevaloista sänkyyn

included in the weekend issue of latest news, sports, and entertain-
Ilta-Sanomat. The Ilta-Sanomat TV ment videos online and to watch
Magazine comes out on Wednes- television programmes at Ruutu.fi,
days. Ilta-Sanomat also publishes
t the web TV site of Nelonen Media. LAUANTAINA
19.11.2011

various themed sections in order Over its 80-year history Ilta-Sa-
to serve its readers. Moreover, its nomat has established its position
themed magazines offer useful as the second largest newspaper
information and entertainment, and the leading quality tabloid in
focusing on topics as varied as his- Finland. Its print version reaches Jääkö salaisuutesi taksiin?
tory, prominent figures, lifestyles, approximately 650,000 readers, 8 Kuljettajat kertovat, mitä uhkauksia.
pettämistä, vonkausta ja
yössä tapahtuu:

gardening, nostalgic trends, and and its website attracts more than Sivu 18
Sivu 32
Sivu 14
LINDAN JA
VENÄLÄISIÄ TIMON ARKI
JOHANNA
current events, such as royal wed- two million visitors every week. RUSANEN
KLASSIKOITA
” ” Miten he

” Perhe
Ihanat selviytyvät pitkien
väriherkut maailmassa?
on tärkein pimeyteen.
diivallekin
dings.


L EH TIKUVA

Lehtikuva was founded in 1951.


Patricia Seppälä, president of
Lehtikuva.

The photo agency
Lehtikuva
Olympic gold medal winners Dana and Emil Zátopek at the
In 1951 the Sanoma Corporation
Helsinki Olympics in 1952.
established the Lehtikuva photo
agency as its subsidiary. The
agency’s purpose was to sup-
ply news photographs to Sano-
ma Corporation’s newspapers
and handle picture traffic during
the Helsinki Olympic Games.
Photo transfers during the Olym-
pic Games were conducted using
Lehtikuva’s telephoto techno-
logy: Photographs were sent
abroad via telephone lines.
In the early years Lehtikuva’s
photographers took pictures on-
ly for the newspapers of the Sa- Ministers Jyrki Katainen and Stefan Wallin in 2011.
noma Corporation, but gradually,
the agency’s operations expand- tal photo archives and an toimisto (STT) acquired Leh-
ed to cover other newspapers image transfer system be- tikuva from the Sanoma
as well. In addition the agency gan to be developed. In the Group. Today STT-Lehtikuva
T T
began to produce commercial 1990s all material was trans- is Finland’s leading news and
photographs for magazines and mitted to clients digitally, photo agency.
businesses. International assign- and an online image archive Patricia Seppälä, the
ments increased in the 1970s, was opened. After the turn daughter of Eljas Erkko, head-
and Lehtikuva began to sell news of the millennium Lehtiku- ed Lehtikuva for more than
photos and creative images from va began to produce news three decades. Her daughter,
its archives to clients other than videos. Rafaela Seppälä, served as
newspapers and magazines. In 2010 the Finnish Lehtikuva’s president from
In the mid-1980s the digi- news agency Suomen Tieto- 2000 to 2004.


1961
Editor-in-chief Yrjö Niiniluoto dies. Teo Mertanen and Aatos Erkko
are appointed chief editors.

Yrjö Niiniluoto Teo Mertanen
(1900–1961) (1925–1992)

N E W M E N, O L D A P P ROAC H
The management cooperation between
the Sanoma Corporation and Helsingin
Sanomat, which had ﬂourished for near-
ly thirty years between Eljas Erkko and
editor-in-chief Yrjö Niiniluoto, came to
an end in November of 1961. Niiniluoto
died suddenly while on a reporting tour
in South Africa. The duties of the edi-
tor-in-chief were divided between Teo
Mertanen, who became the senior editor-
in-chief, and Aatos Erkko, the son of Eljas
Erkko. Mertanen had previously worked
as a journalist and a London correspon-
dent for Helsingin Sanomat and had also
t
served as the editor-in-chief of Ilta-Sano-
mat. Erkko had served as editor-in-chief
of the magazine Viikkosanomat.
When Eljas Erkko died in February of
1965, Aatos Erkko succeeded him as the
company’s president. On 1 June 1966,
Heikki Tikkanen, the former head of
Helsingin Sanomat’s political news sec-
tion and Ilta-Sanomat’s editor-in-chief,
was appointed third editor-in-chief
together with Mertanen and Erkko.
A decade later, in 1976, Tikkanen was ap-
pointed Helsingin Sanomat’s senior edi- From the left: Heikki Tikkanen, Juha Nevalainen, and Aatos Erkko.


1965
Eljas Erkko dies. His son, Aatos Erkko, is appointed president
of the Sanoma Corporation.


1967
The Sanoma School of Journalism is established.

The U.S. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson
being interviewed by Arvo Ääri in 1963.

Taimi Torvinen interviewing the artist Diego Rivera in Mexico,
1956.
Janne Virkkunen and
Aarno “Loka” Laitinen
busy with municipal
elections in 1976.

Music critic
Seppo Heikinheimo
in 1992.

Type composition
being checked in
1972. From left:
tor-in-chief, and Mertanen assumed the Urpo Huttunen,
post of administrative editor. Seppo Kievari,
Keijo Kylävaara became editor-in- Simopekka Nortamo,
Jouko Nurmela, and
chief in 1970, Simopekka Nortamo
Vilho Nikander.
in 1976, Keijo K. Kulha in 1982, Seppo
Kievari in 1982, and Janne Virkkunen in
1989, the year Helsingin Sanomat cele-
t
brated its 100th anniversary.
In spite of its modernization, Hel-
singin Sanomat continued on its “tradi-
t
tionally independent and liberal line”,
as the company proclaimed in its ﬁrst
printed annual report in 1967. The Sano-
ma Corporation’s School of Journalism
became operative the same spring.
In May of 1972 Finnish journalists
went on a nationwide strike for the ﬁrst
time. Other modern phenomena of the


1976
Väinö J. Nurmimaa is appointed president of the company. Aatos Erkko continues as
chairman of the board. Heikki Tikkanen is appointed senior editor-in-chief.

The foreign affairs editorial staff in 1981. In the back row from the left: Olli Kivinen, Erkki Arni, Pentti Suominen,
Esko Kivinen, Pentti Sadeniemi, Tuula Koskenniemi, Riikka Hildén, Tellervo Yrjämä-Rantinoja, Erkki Pennanen,
Jussi Vuotila, Lauri Karén, Pauli Oinonen, Vesa Santavuori, and Mikko Eronen.
In front: Matti Klemola, Timo Vuorela, and Veikko I. Pajunen.

year included two new theme sections in
Helsingin Sanomat – economics on Tues-
t
day and food on Thursday – plus a new
Sunday supplement created under the
management of Simopekka Nortamo.
Nortamo had left Viikkosanomat and
joined Helsingin Sanomat as manager
of the team that modernized the graphic
outlook of the Sunday pages with more
magazine-like photojournalism and
bolder layout concepts.
At the beginning of the 1970s, the
newspaper’s printing plant introduced
photo-setting. This was the ﬁrst step in
a development that would supplant the
old paging system based on manual and
Press photographers Pentti Koskinen, Hans Paul, Erkki Laitila, hot-setting processes.
and Esko Salmela in 1983. The dramatic urbanization of Finland


1977
The Sanomala production plant in Vantaa is inaugurated.

and the resulting continuous growth of
the newspaper increased the need for
technological improvements. Also early
in the 1970s, Helsingin Sanomat’s work-
day circulation exceeded 300,000, and
the physical load became heavy for those
delivering the papers: The Sunday paper
weighed almost half a kilo, and the an-
nual volume exceeded the weight of a
robust man of 100 kilos. The following
year, Helsingin Sanomat was put on a
diet when the printing plant started
using lighter paper.
This growth in turn required yet
another new rotation machine. An in-
dication of the global fluctuations of
printing technology is that this time Martti Vinni at the ADVA NCED TE CH N OLO GY,
Y
the manufacturers on the old continent printing plate N EW R E COR D S
production in
were left high and dry, and in 1966 the Sanomala, Vantaa. In the late 1970s advancements in tech-
new Ampress rotation machine was pur- nology made it possible to separate the
chased from the United States. editorial department from the print-
The evolution of communication ing operations. The printing facilities of
technology opened possibilities for ac- the Sanoma Corporation were relocated
quiring increasingly up-to-date news from the centre of Helsinki to Vantaa,
material. A fax connection between 15 km north of Helsinki. The Sanomala
Helsingin Sanomat and the Finnish Par-
t plant was inaugurated in 1977, the 88th
liament was opened in 1974, and a “di- anniversary of the founding of Päiväleh-
rect line to the political capitals” of the ti. Within a year all newspapers pub-
world came about in 1975 when the pa- lished by the Sanoma Corporation were
per sent its accredited permanent corre- printed at Sanomala using offset tech-
spondents to Moscow and Washington. nology, and the company began to use
Helsingin Sanomat took a stand on in- microwave technology to send mate-
ternational politics on 30 July 1975 dur- rial by facsimile transmission from the
ing the final days of the Conference on newspaper’s offices on Ludviginkatu in
Security and Cooperation by publishing the centre of Helsinki to Sanomala.
an editorial entitled “Freedom of Infor- The typesetting department also
mation” in eight languages, doing its adopted new technology. Manual type-
part to establish the basis for European setting was becoming history. By the
cooperation. end of the 1970s, all advertisements and
In 1976 Aatos Erkko resigned as presi- nearly half of the editorial material were
dent and continued as full-time chair- photocomposed. The newspaper’s first
man of the board. Väinö J. Nurmimaa, four-colour advertisements and multi-
who had been executive vice-president coloured editorial images were printed
since 1971, succeeded him. in 1979.


History of Helsingin Sanomat

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History of Helsingin Sanomat