Accountability systems
FICORA supervises the use of radio frequencies and network operators may contact it with complaints about the Act on Television and Radio Operations. All decisions can be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court.
The public service broadcasting company (Yle) operates under an act of its own. Its highest decision-making body is the administrative council, elected by the parliament. Commercial radio and television operations are regulated by separate legislation. The Act on the Exercise of Freedom of Expression in Mass Media (2004) applies to publishing and program production. Communication via information networks is subject to legislation on mass media (Finlex.fi).
The Council for Mass Media was set up by publishers, journalists and their associations to act as a self-regulatory body for mass media content. It promotes responsibility in mass media, and is not a juridical body. The monitoring of harmful Internet content is currently undertaken by the council, by the Finnish Information Processing Association’s Ethics Advisory Committee, the Council on Ethics in Advertising, the Consumer Agency and the Consumer Ombudsman, and by the Code of conduct of the Finnish Periodical Publishers’ Association.