East and West on the Finnish Screen

Research on Finnish television history has so far emphasized Western influences. However, the Finnish television environment was also in many ways shaped by contacts with socialist television cultures. This article analyses the first volume (1960) of the television magazine Katso to trace the variou...

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Main Author: Pajala, Mari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision 2014-06-01
Series:VIEW Journal of European Television History and Culture
Online Access:https://www.viewjournal.eu/article/10.18146/2213-0969.2014.jethc059/
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author Pajala, Mari
author_facet Pajala, Mari
author_sort Pajala, Mari
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description Research on Finnish television history has so far emphasized Western influences. However, the Finnish television environment was also in many ways shaped by contacts with socialist television cultures. This article analyses the first volume (1960) of the television magazine Katso to trace the various transnational relations which shaped the early Finnish television environment and to discuss the cultural meanings of socialist television in this environment. Nearly every issue of Katso in 1960 discusses television in a transnational context. Transnational themes fall into four categories: (1) learning about television in other countries; (2) the Eurovision and Nordvision networks; (3) watching television across national borders (Swedish and Tallinn television but also television across surprising distances); and (4) visions of world television. Katso’s understanding of television emphasises the literal meaning of television, to see far. The magazine sets no clear limits to what television could do in terms of overcoming physical distance and ideological borders. The magazine avoids overt politics in discussing television from both the West and the East and represents Tallinn television as a potential source of popular television for Finnish audiences.
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spelling doaj.art-b960022e54f1419a9c849abddec229442022-12-22T02:38:20ZengNetherlands Institute for Sound and VisionVIEW Journal of European Television History and Culture2213-09692014-06-01358810.18146/2213-0969.2014.jethc059East and West on the Finnish ScreenPajala, MariResearch on Finnish television history has so far emphasized Western influences. However, the Finnish television environment was also in many ways shaped by contacts with socialist television cultures. This article analyses the first volume (1960) of the television magazine Katso to trace the various transnational relations which shaped the early Finnish television environment and to discuss the cultural meanings of socialist television in this environment. Nearly every issue of Katso in 1960 discusses television in a transnational context. Transnational themes fall into four categories: (1) learning about television in other countries; (2) the Eurovision and Nordvision networks; (3) watching television across national borders (Swedish and Tallinn television but also television across surprising distances); and (4) visions of world television. Katso’s understanding of television emphasises the literal meaning of television, to see far. The magazine sets no clear limits to what television could do in terms of overcoming physical distance and ideological borders. The magazine avoids overt politics in discussing television from both the West and the East and represents Tallinn television as a potential source of popular television for Finnish audiences.https://www.viewjournal.eu/article/10.18146/2213-0969.2014.jethc059/
spellingShingle Pajala, Mari
East and West on the Finnish Screen
VIEW Journal of European Television History and Culture
title East and West on the Finnish Screen
title_full East and West on the Finnish Screen
title_fullStr East and West on the Finnish Screen
title_full_unstemmed East and West on the Finnish Screen
title_short East and West on the Finnish Screen
title_sort east and west on the finnish screen
url https://www.viewjournal.eu/article/10.18146/2213-0969.2014.jethc059/
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