Corporate Reputation and the News Media in Finland

Abstract

Finland makes an interesting case study for the news media on public’s images and opinions (Carroll & McCombs, 2003) for several reasons. First, the news media in Finland is dominated by one major newspaper (cf. Ainamo, 2003), and it is interesting to see whether there is great consensus in public opinion due to this homogeneity (for opposing views, see Moring 2005). Second, Finland is a relatively small country (5 million inhabitants) for both business and media, and it could be speculated that the news media’s effects are less visible than in larger countries (where diffusion of news occurs directly via social contagion). Third, Finland has been a breeding ground for top innovations and successful companies or communities, which could guide both the field of journalism and the media in Finland in general toward increased internationalization as global media outlets balance the agenda-setting capabilities of national outlets. Finally, Finland’s long tradition of democracy and active membership in the European Union provides potential for business news to flow from the country, not merely into it. The structure of the chapter is as follows. First, a brief overview of the corporate sphere and the national news media in Finland is provided. Second, extant literature on the news media and communication theory, with a particular focus on agenda-setting theory and reputation management is reviewed. After that, the methodology and data collected are described and discussed. Finally, a conclusion is reached on corporate reputation and the news media in Finland, and implications and directions are provided for further inquiry.