TV channels in Finland 2023, by audience share

In 2023, Yle TV1 was the most popular TV channel in Finland, with an audience share of 27.2 percent. It is operated by the public service broadcasting company Yle (Yleisradio), which reached 41 percent of the population on a weekly basis as of 2022. The commercial television channel MTV3 was the second most watched TV channel with a share of 20.1 percent, followed by Yle TV2 (12.9 percent). 

Record viewer numbers for World Ice Hockey Championship Final 2019

The IIHF World Championship Final (Finland vs. Canada) attracted roughly 2.7 million viewers in May 2019, when the world championship title was won by Finland. It was the most watched ice-hockey game of all-time, and the viewer number represents almost half of the country’s population. Traditionally, the broadcast of the annual Independence Day Reception is the most watched television program of the year, reaching over two million viewers.

Traditional vs. online TV viewing

Around 77 percent of the Finnish people were watching online TV provided by broadcasting companies. In 2023, 53 percent of the households in Finland were watching television via the cable network. Approximately 42 percent Finnish households watched television via the terrestrial network, while 21 percent used IPTV (Internet Protocol Television).