This document discusses narrative journalism education and research in Finland. It notes that while narrative journalism is included in some university courses, it is not always the primary focus. Universities of applied sciences offer more dedicated courses in narrative writing and multimedia storytelling. Other organizations also provide narrative journalism training. Research on the topic has been conducted both in Finnish and English, focusing on literary journalism, narrative techniques, and the boundary between fact and fiction. Challenges to narrative journalism education include a general lack of writing instruction and inconsistent use of genre terms.

1. Narrative Journalism
in Finnish Education and Research
MARIA LASSILA-MERISALO
WORKSHOP ON NARRATIVE JOURNALISM, SANOMA ACADEMY, 19.5.2014

2. Education

3. Narrative Journalism in Finnish Universities
• “Narrativity isn’t an individual topic
but is included in several courses
along the studies. This may create
an assumption that it is not being
taught at all.” (Tampere)
• “There is a course on genres in web
and print journalism (4 ECTS). One
of the genres is feature, and
narrativity is discussed as a part of
that.” (Jyväskylä)
1 Visiting Professor Elina
Grundström has put great emphasis
on narrative journalism but these
courses are one-time only.
University Course Scope
University
of Tampere
01 0
University
of Jyväskylä
0 0
University
of Helsinki
(Swedish)
–Reportage
– Creative expression
and language in
reportage
–5 ECTS
–5 ECTS

4. Narrative Journalism in
Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences
• “Narrativity has become more
and more important in
journalism education, even in
the news.” (Oulu)
• “Storytelling was our emphasis
a couple of years back, but we
have switched our attention to
marketing communications
and multimediality.” (Lappi)
• Turku, Oulu and Lappi all have
an emphasis on film and
TV/radio.
University Course Scope
Haaga-Helia
– Magazine writing
– Fictional techniques in
journalism
–7 ECTS
–3 ECTS
Turku UAS
–Documentary writing,
journalistic writing,
creative writing
–5 ECTS
each
Oulu UAS
– Magazine work
– Print journalism
– 5 ECTS
– 6 ECTS
Lappi UAS – Journalistic storytelling – 10 ECTS

5. Other Players in the Field of Narrative Journalism Education
• Media companies’ own events: Talentum Events 2011, Bonnier
Storytelling 2008, Sanoma Academy…
• Jokes-foundation (for promoting journalistic culture in Finland),
storytelling workshops, 2009–11, perhaps more to come.
• On-demand education: e.g. Long Play.
• Small circles: Panu Räty. “Regular” foreign visitor: Thomas French.
• Skilled editors as educators: editing educates both staff writers and
freelancers.

6. Research

7. Research on narrative journalism (in English)
• Markku Lehtimäki 2005: The Poetics Of Norman Mailer's Nonfiction: Self-
Reflexivity, Literary Form, and the Rhetoric of Narrative. (PhD thesis)
• Maria Lassila-Merisalo 2012: “Taboo-Breaker in Mid-20th Century Finland:
Veikko Ennala”. In: Keeble, R. and Tulloch, J. eds. Global Literary Journalism:
Modes of Narrative Non-Fiction. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 89–102.
• Maria Lassila-Merisalo 2011: “Literary Journalism in 20th-Century Finland”. In:
Bak, J.S. and Reynolds, B. eds, Literary Journalism across the Globe.
Journalistic Traditions and Transnational Influences. Amherst and Boston:
University of Massachusetts Press, 184–207.
• Maria Lassila-Merisalo 2010: “Exploring the “reality boundary”of Esa Kero”.
Literary Journalism Studies 2:1, 39–48.
• Anu Nousiainen 2013: A Bunch of Distractive Writing. Why has fact-based
and extensively reported American style narrative journalism not gained
ground in Europe? (Reuters Institute Fellowship Paper)

8. Research on narrative journalism (in Finnish)
• Lauri Haapanen 2011: “The functions and editing of quotations in
literary-journalistic magazine articles”. Tiedotustutkimus 34:3, 64–89.
• Maria Lassila-Merisalo 2009: On the Borderline of Fact and Fiction.
The Poetics of Literary Journalism in Finnish Magazines. (PhD thesis)
• Maria Lassila-Merisalo 2008: ”’Their disappointment is concealed from
the nosy reporters’ The Poetics of Literary Journalism in Magazine
Reportage”. Kirjallisuudentutkimuksen aikakauslehti Avain 5:1, 6–25.
• Maria Lassila-Merisalo 2005: “And Pluto-Salminen, well, we already
know him” The narrator’s perceptibility in a personality story
“Takapiru”, Tiedotustutkimus 28:4–5, 28–42.

9. Master’s theses
• University of Jyväskylä: Pipsa Olli: survival stories, Jaana Siljamäki:
personality profiles, Hanna Toivonen: narrative techniques in
newspapers, Jenny Matikainen: nonfictional narratology in news,
Heli Peltoniemi: narrative and the discourse of west, Maria Lassila-
Merisalo: nonfiction in Helsingin Sanomien Kuukausiliite and
Image…
• University of Tampere: Markku Nykänen: Enkeli-Elisa case, Emmi
Nissi: narrative structures and techniques in guidebooks and stories,
Sini Kaipainen: reportage literature, Tatu Blomqvist: narrativity in a
multimedia reportage, Elina Nikola: narrative news stories, Anu
Partanen: feature and truth, Anu Nousiainen: reportage…

10. Challenges
• lack of writing education in the universities in general, not only in
narrative writing
• lack of interaction between universities and universities of applied
sciences
• genre recognition: different terms used in different publications but
even within one editorial office
• current trend in narrative journalism: too much enthusiasm, not
enough craft; stigmatization; overdose; counterreaction.