Content from Yle finances

Yle's operations are financed with tax revenue

Yle is a public service media company owned by the State of Finland and Finnish citizens.

Yle's operations are financed by an appropriation paid for by revenue from the public broadcasting tax. In addition, Yle receives revenue from programme activities, service sales, premises and equipment rentals, and other proceeds.

The Finnish Parliament decides on the Act on Yle Tax, which determines the amount of the Yle tax and who pays it. Yle does not decide on the tax or its amount.

The Yle tax is mandatory for persons over 18 years of age as well as for organisations engaged in business operations, vocational practice or agriculture in Finland.

• For private individuals, Yle tax amounts to 2.5 per cent of the total earned income and capital income, which exceeds EUR 14,000. The maximum tax per person is EUR 163 per year. Those who earn less than EUR 14,000 are completely exempt from paying the tax.

• The Yle tax rate for organisations is based on their taxable income. The Yle tax is not collected from organisations with a taxable income of less than EUR 50,000. If the taxable income for the tax year is at least EUR 50,000, the Yle tax to be paid is EUR 140 + 0.35 per cent for the portion exceeding the income limit, so that the maximum annual tax rate is EUR 3,000.

• Finnish Tax Administration: Public Broadcasting Tax and Åland Islands media fee

• Act on Yle Tax - Finlex (in Finnish)

How are tax revenues used?

We use our tax funding responsibly and conscientiously to fulfil Yle’s statutory duty.

Yle complies with the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts. The Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts does not apply to service contracts for programme activities, such as the procurement, development, production or co-production of programme material. The procurement contracts for programme activities contain the trade secrets of the contracting partners, which is why their details are not disclosed to the public. Trade secret is defined in the Trade Secrets Act.

Yle's principles of responsibility are applied in all procurements, and we also require our partners to act responsibly. For example, when procuring domestic content, our contracting partners commit to the creative sector’s responsibility model and and the partner's ethical guidelines.

Yle is only worthy of trust when it operates responsibly.

Yle's key figures 2023

Yle’s finances have remained stable over the past few years and the company has enhanced the efficiency of its operations.

The general increase in costs is reflected, for example, in the rising prices of acquired broadcasting rights and other expenses.

• In 2023, all of Yle's revenues were EUR 529.6 million. The share of the appropriation based on the Yle tax was 98.8 percent of the income. In 2022, all revenues were 514.1 million euros.
• In 2023, Yle's total expenses were EUR 525,3 million. In 2022, all expenses were 517.1 million euros.
• In 2023, the result for the financial year was 4.3 million euros. In 2022, the result for the financial year was -3.0 million euros.
• In 2023, Yle spent 429,0 million euros on content and services for Finns. In 2022, 419.3 million euros were spent on content and services.

Yle pays value added tax to the central government on the appropriation it has received in accordance with the 10% tax rate.

Yle's profit for the financial year varies from year to year. This is due, for example, to major, high-profile sporting events, the rights of which Yle acquires for all Finns to see. Yle manages its finances so that annual fluctuations in profit cover each other, thus keeping the company's finances stable over the long term.

• In 2023, Yle's total expenses were EUR 525.3 million. In 2023, all of Yle's revenues were EUR 529.6 million. The share of the appropriation based on the Yle tax was 98.8 percent of the income.
• Yle spent 248.4 million euros on personnel expenses, or 47.3 percent of expenses. Personnel costs include salaries, bonuses, pension costs and other personnel side costs, such as social security and unemployment insurance premiums. Of the 2,967 permanent seniors, 86 percent work in tasks directly related to content.
• Yle spent EUR 60 million on performance rights, or 11.4 percent of expenses. Broadcast rights include domestic and foreign program acquisition and sports rights
• Yle spent EUR 19.2 million on fixed asset depreciation, or 3.7 percent of expenses. Fixed asset depreciation includes ICT and production technology, buildings and other fixed asset depreciation.
• Yle spent 63.3 million euros on program expenses, or 12 percent of the expenses. The costs of program activities include music and other performance compensations, production services for program activities and other services and supplies.
• Yle spent 30.9 million euros on distribution costs, or 5.9 percent of the costs. Distribution costs include TV, radio and broadband distribution, satellite and other distribution.
• Yle spent 49 million euros on technology costs, or 9.3 percent of the costs. Technology costs include technology consulting, software and maintenance, technology service purchases and telecommunication costs.
• Yle spent 22.2 million euros on rent and real estate expenses, or 4.2 percent of expenses. Rents and real estate expenses include land and space rents, heating, electricity, cooling, water, other rental and real estate expenses.
• Yle spent EUR 31.7 million on other expenses, or 6 percent of expenses. Other expenses include travel expenses, experts, consulting, research, voluntary personnel expenses, office expenses, small equipment purchases, representation and meeting expenses and other expenses.
• Yle spent EUR 0.6 million on financial income and expenses, or 0.1 percent of expenses.
• Source: Yle's financial statements 2023

• Yle spent 429.0 million euros to create content and services for Finns online, on television, radio and at events.
• Yle spent 143.6 million euros on national and regional news and current affairs content, or 33 percent of the costs of content and services. Content includes, for example, news in different languages all over Finland, weather, A-studio, Ykkösaamu, MOT and News Podcast.
• Yle spent 45.9 million euros on sports content, or 11 percent of the costs of content and services. Content includes, for example, World Championships, Finnish Championship Week, World Championships in Snow Sports, World Championships in Athletics and World Championships in figure skating.
• Yle spent 62.2 million euros on factual content, or 14 percent of content and service costs. Content includes, for example, Elossa24h, Akuutti, Tiedetrippi, Luontoilta, Efter Nio and the Well Said project.
• Yle spent 88.7 million euros on cultural and entertainment content, or 21 percent of the costs of content and services. Content includes, for example, the Independence Day Reception, Contest for New Music UMK, Sohvaperunat and Ted & Kaj.
• Yle spent EUR 51.9 million on drama content, or 12 percent of the costs of content and services. Content includes, for example, Aikuiset, Rakkaat lapset, Helsinki-syndrooma and Mä haluun olla Nylon.
• Yle spent 36.7 million euros on content for children and young people, or 9 percent of the costs of content and services. Contents include, for example, Pikku Kakkonen, BUU-klubben, Galaxi, Savela ja Gogin kantabaari.

Yle is a major funder of the Finnish creative sector

Yle generates value for people and Finnish society by acting as a major funder of the Finnish cultural sector. Through cooperation, we produce value not only for the entire media sector but also for our extensive partner network.

Yle's tax footprint applies to Finland as a whole. In 2023, our tax footprint totalled EUR 97.6 million, and it consisted of withholdings, statutory personnel contributions (e.g. sickness, accident and unemployment insurance contributions), VAT, real estate and other taxes.

• Read Yle's annual report and financial statements for 2023