Hi podcasters,
This issue is all about introducing you to the Finnish podcasting market.
Moona Kärkkäinen, CEO of Suomen Podcastmedia shares her insights and Michael Hanf, host and executive producer of Matters of Consequence, shares Finnish podcast recommendations. Read on to learn more, and to get the latest industry news and upcoming international opportunities and events.
Before we get into it…
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Now, let’s get into it!
🇪🇺🏆Today is your last chance to enter The Lovie Awards!
Submit your best work before tomorrow, Friday, August 7 and stand alongside Europe’s digital leaders.
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🎙️Podcast Review featured a Eurowaves list of The 10 Best European Podcasts.
🇬🇧The Podcast Space x Eurowaves meet-up in London was a fantastic gathering of women in podcasting. Thank you all for joining!
🎙️Ana Xavier, founder of The Podcast Space, Eurowaves friend and advisory board member, was the one podcaster invited inside the Obama Presidential Center before it opened to the public.
🎙️The Romanistan Podcast team is running a fundraiser to continue running the show and provide educational resources on Romani culture.
🌎The submission deadline has been extended for the International Women’s Podcast Awards. You now have until Aug 14 to enter; entries can be from anywhere in the world, and are just $50.
🌎On Spec Podcast is hiring a script editor experienced in narrative podcasting for their sixth season. The work begins this month until mid January. Reach out to Fariba Nawa for more details.
🇬🇧Persephonica, based in London, is hiring a Senior Video Producer.
🇪🇺The European Comission opened a call for proposals on EU audio reporting.
🇩🇪German true-crime podcast Mordlust did a live video recording for its eighth anniversary. (source: Podnews)
🇪🇺The EU Artificial Intelligence Act comes into law - which is relevant if your content is consumed in the EU, like all podcasts are (source: Podnews)
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Moona Kärkkäinen is the CEO of Suomen Podcastmedia, one of Finland’s leading commercial podcast companies. She works at the intersection of content, commercial strategy and audience growth, helping creators and brands build sustainable podcast businesses while driving the development of Finland’s podcast industry. She is particularly interested in the future of video podcasts, branded content and cross-border collaboration within the European podcast ecosystem.
You can connect with Moona on LinkedIn here.
What’s your podcast origin story?
I’ve been working in media and digital business for most of my career, but podcasting felt different from the very beginning. It combined long-form storytelling with the authenticity of creator-led media, while still feeling like an industry that was only scratching the surface of its potential.
When I joined Suomen Podcastmedia, podcasting in Finland was already established, but I saw a huge opportunity to professionalise the commercial side of the industry. Today I lead the company as CEO, and our work ranges from producing original shows and branded podcasts to helping independent creators build sustainable businesses around their content.
What excites me most is that podcasting has evolved from an audio format into a true multi-platform media business. Great podcasts now live simultaneously across audio platforms, YouTube and social media, reaching audiences in completely new ways.
Give us an overview of Finland’s podcasting industry from its beginnings and what stage it’s at currently. Is it growing? Is it stagnating?
Finland was relatively quick to embrace podcast listening, but for many years the industry remained fairly small and fragmented. Public broadcasters, radio companies and a handful of independent creators laid the foundation, but monetisation opportunities were limited and the market remained niche.
Over the past few years, the industry has evolved rapidly. Subscription platforms such as Podimo and Podme have invested heavily in premium local content, bringing more professional production and commercial opportunities into the market. At the same time, video has become an increasingly important part of podcasting. Many of Finland’s most successful podcasts actually originated with YouTube creators, meaning that video wasn’t something added later, but it has been part of their content strategy from the beginning. Today, YouTube plays a crucial role in both discovery and audience growth, while short-form clips on social media help podcasts reach entirely new audiences.
We’re also seeing advertisers become much more sophisticated in how they view podcast audiences and host-read advertising, recognising the trust and engagement the medium creates.
I wouldn’t describe the Finnish market as mature yet. Audio listening may have reached a more stable phase, but podcasting as a whole is still growing. The boundaries between podcasts, video content and creator media continue to blur, creating new opportunities for creators, media companies and advertisers alike.
What role does Suomen Podcastmedia play in Finland’s podcasting market? What gaps are you looking to fill?
Suomen Podcastmedia is one of Finland’s largest commercial podcast companies, but our ambition has always been broader than production alone.
We’re focused on building sustainable businesses around podcasts. That means producing original shows and branded podcasts, helping independent creators commercialise their content, and making it easier for advertisers to access podcast audiences in meaningful ways.
One of the biggest opportunities we see is helping brands understand that they don’t necessarily need to launch their own podcast to benefit from the medium. Sponsorships, host-read campaigns and creative partnerships with established shows or well-known talents can often deliver stronger results. At the same time, for organisations that do have a story worth telling over the long term, branded podcasts can become a powerful content engine and thought leadership platform.
We’re also working to make podcast advertising more accessible by connecting advertisers with independent creators through network-based sales models, allowing campaigns to scale across multiple shows while still feeling authentic to each audience.
Finally, we’re passionate about bringing successful international podcast concepts to Finland and, just as importantly, helping Finnish ideas and formats find audiences beyond our borders.
Ultimately, I think podcasting works best when everyone benefits: creators can build sustainable businesses, brands can reach highly engaged audiences, and listeners continue to get high-quality content. That’s the ecosystem we’re trying to help build in Finland.
Thank you, Moona!
NRC Uitgelicht: Koekoekskind (Dutch)
In this feed, you will find a selection of journalistic series and compelling stories from NRC. A DNA test turns the life of podcaster Cas Reijnders and his family upside down: it turns out his father is not his biological father. In *Koekoekskind* (Cuckoo Child), he and editor Kim Bos delve into the world of fertility doctors who engaged in malpractice during the 1980s and 1990s.
Ernstfall – What if Russia Attacks NATO? Inside a German Wargame (English)
What if Russia attacked NATO? How would Germany respond? And where are our weaknesses? We wanted answers. In a wargame, we simulate an attack on NATO’s eastern flank. Politicians, former military officials, and experts take on the roles of the German government for a day. A second team plays the Kremlin. The wargame triggered an international debate. It’s the reason we decided to publish our results in English as well. In this five-part podcast, you’ll hear a simulation of a crisis that many European leaders hope will never happen.
In volta de canal (Italian)
Carlo Scarpa is the name that, more than any other, helped give Ca’ Foscari a new face. When the Royal School finally became a university in the early 20th century, it entrusted him with the task of reimagining key spaces within the palazzo, such as the famous Aula Baratto. This was Scarpa’s first major commission as an architect, marking the beginning of a Venetian story that would ideally conclude in the same area—at the bend in the Grand Canal where, alongside the Ca’ Foscari project, the Professor oversaw the restoration of another building: Palazzina Masieri. In volta de canal tells this story, reconstructing the events that shaped it and listening to the voices of those who studied and worked with Scarpa.
Want to see your podcast recommended?
Michael Hanf is the host and executive producer of Matters of Consequence, an interview-led podcast exploring the choices people make when something truly matters. He also produces AI in Motion and previously hosted The Circular Coffee Break, bringing together his work as a podcaster with more than 25 years of experience in strategy, sustainability and consulting.
BoardTalks: I listen to BoardTalks for thoughtful conversations about board work, ownership and leadership. What I value is the practical perspective of experienced board members and executives, particularly on how boards can contribute more actively to strategy, growth and renewal.
Kuuntelen BoardTalksia sen syvällisten keskustelujen vuoksi liittyen hallitustyöhön, omistajuuteen ja johtajuuteen. Arvostan kokeneiden hallitusjäsenten ja toimitusjohtajien käytännönläheistä näkökulmaa, erityisesti siihen, miten hallitukset voivat vaikuttaa aktiivisemmin strategiaan, kasvuun ja uudistumiseen.
AVANTO - Conversations on Finland’s Global Ambition: AVANTO interests me because it tackles a question I have been thinking about for years: why does Finland, despite its strong capabilities, so often struggle to turn them into global scale and influence? Geoffroy’s conversations with founders, investors and other ecosystem voices provide a refreshingly direct look at ambition, growth and what Finland may need to do differently.
AVANTO kiinnostaa minua, koska se käsittelee kysymystä, jota olen pohtinut vuosia: miksi Suomi, huolimatta vahvoista kyvyistään, kamppailee niin usein niiden muuttamiseksi globaaliksi vaikuttavuudeksi? Geoffroyn keskustelut perustajien, sijoittajien ja muiden ekosysteemin äänien kanssa tarjoavat suoran katsauksen ambitioon, kasvuun ja siihen, mitä Suomen tulisi ehkä tehdä toisin.
All Points North: One of the podcasts I turn to for an English-language perspective on what is happening in Finland. I like that it goes beyond the headlines and puts Finnish news, politics and society into context, often in a way that is particularly useful if you look at Finland partly through an international lens.
All Points North on yksi podcast, johon turvaudun englanninkielisen näkökulman saamiseksi siihen, mitä Suomessa tapahtuu. Pidän siitä, että se menee otsikoiden taakse ja asettaa suomalaiset uutiset, politiikan ja yhteiskunnan usein sellaiseen kontekstiin, joka on erityisen hyödyllinen, jos katsot Suomea osittain kansainvälisten linssien läpi.
Thank you, Michael!
You can connect with him here.
SONAR Challenge (International)
For the second year in a row, SONAR invites you to tell unexpected stories in the SONAR Challenge: an opportunity to reconnect with sound, and create for the sheer joy of creating. The mission is simple: create an original audio story, 5 minutes maximum , based on our 2026 theme: fabrics.
When? August 2.
The London Podcast Festival (London, UK)
London Podcast Festival is back for its 11th year! Podcast fans will come together at Kings Place, London’s home of live podcasting, and online to enjoy one-of-a-kind live shows, meet-and-greets, and workshops with some of the world’s greatest podcasters. This year’s line-up includes Wrong Turns with Jameela Jamil, The Empire Film Podcast, Life After Prison, No Such Thing As A Fish and the first ever live podcast of their audience feedback show Drop Us A Line.
When? September 3-13.
XMTR AUDIO ARTS FESTIVAL 2026 (Sussex, UK)
XMTR Audio Arts Festival is a deep dive into the craft of creative audio and sonic storytelling - from powerful and provocative performances, to focused listening and immersive experiences, with knowledge sharing through talks and masterclasses - across multiple venues in St Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings. This seaside festival is a celebration of sound, where the local and international creative audio community connect, collaborate, inspire and inspirit.
When? September 25-27.
That’s it for now!
Andreea
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