Yle’s New News Studios Are a Celebration of Modern Technology and Unbeatable Collaboration

All of Finland held its breath when Yleisradio aired the first broadcast from its brand-new news studio in June 2024.

This isn’t just any studio—it’s the heart of daily broadcasts that reach the vast majority of Finns. For instance, the 20:30 news alone attracts an average of nearly one million viewers each day.

This is one of the largest projects in Yle’s history.

Antti-Jussi Kotakorpi
Technology Manager
Yle’s Media Technology department

Before the upgrade, Yle’s previous news studios were over a decade old. Many pieces of equipment had long exceeded their expected lifespan, and the visual style of Yle’s news, current affairs, and sports programs dated all the way back to 2011. With no major updates in over ten years, it was clear that both the technology and appearance were in need of a refresh.

While the primary goal was to modernize outdated technology, the project also aimed to revamp Yle’s visual identity across online platforms, TV, and radio.

“But that’s not all,” adds Juha Huusko, Head of technology, Yle News. “We also wanted to rethink our workflows and storytelling techniques to make better use of our newsroom resources.”

Yle produces a vast amount of content throughout the news day, with a primary focus on online platforms. The goal was to develop a model that would allow Yle to make the most of its online materials—whether videos, animations, infographics, or maps—across all newsroom operations.

“One of the key objectives of this project was to ensure that content created for one platform could easily be repurposed for others,” explains Huusko..

The studio as part of a larger transformation

Yle approached the procurement process with flexibility, without a fixed and finalized list of requirements. Instead, the technological needs were refined and negotiated in collaboration with equipment manufacturers and integrators throughout the entire process.

“First, we developed a new concept for visuals and content. Based on that, we designed the studio layout. Only after that did we define the technical requirements. We couldn’t start by simply procuring the technology and saying, ‘This is what we have, and this is how it should shape the look,’” explains Kotakorpi.

After the public tender, an intensive design phase began, involving a set builder, a set designer, a video wall supplier, and Media Tailor (TV Tools back then).

In total, two new studios were created, along with three control rooms. Two of these control rooms will be used for productions requiring studio space, while the third will handle other productions, such as parliamentary question time broadcasts.

Media Tailor was responsible for building and delivering the studios, control rooms, and all core technology. Some of their key responsibilities included camera robotics and internal studio cabling.

The project involved more than a dozen media technology experts from Media Tailor. Equipment partners included well-known industry names such as EVS, Lawo, Sony, VizRt, and Telemetrics.

Towards a flexible and long-lasting entity with IP-based solution

Yle’s new studio environment is fully IP-based, a transition that initially raised several uncertainties. However, the final decision was strongly influenced by Yle’s previous experience with the successful modernization of its radio environment.

“The shift to IP was an area where things could have gone wrong. This is the first ST 2110 IP-based environment ever built at Yle. But we had strong confidence, thanks to the valuable lessons learned during the Radiopolku project,” says Juha Huusko.

Traditional SDI technology-based systems are essentially disposable, with a lifespan of around 10 years due to their inflexible nature. Replacing them requires building an entirely new system from scratch and discontinuing the old one.

An IP-based system, while still relying on physical devices, also integrates virtual alternatives. The media network, which connects everything, functions similarly to the old physical matrix that connected all previous wiring.

A media network enables a broad range of connections between devices and provides much greater flexibility in building the entire system. This made the system design and implementation process easier, offering more possibilities to create the desired system.

Olli Aromaa
Head of Media Technology Solutions
Media Tailor

Adding new devices, establishing connections, and removing outdated ones is now easier than ever. This makes it easier to upgrade, introduce new features and integrate with other Yle environments without having to renew everything at once.

A key objective of the redesign was to enhance the cross-utilization of resources, such as graphics, across different control rooms.

“We also aimed to strengthen our ability to manage technical failures. If an issue arises, we can quickly leverage resources from another environment as needed. This reduces the reliance on individual backups, which is crucial since our studios are in daily production,” continues Huusko.

Camera robotics and automation

A major advancement in YLE’s new studios is the enhanced use of camera robotics. It was already in use in the old YLE studios, but YLE did not yet have the experience of using camera robotics and studio automation to produce discussion programmes, for example. Traditionally, talk shows relied on a conventional multi-camera setup with manual operation.

“Now, camera operators are no longer needed behind the cameras. Each program follows a pre-planned playlist, allowing automation to position the cameras and capture shots as intended,” explains Kotakorpi.

The expanded use of camera robotics marks a significant leap forward in modernizing studio operations.

“Our approach to robotics is now on a whole new level. The biggest shift for us is adopting a process-oriented production model focused on repeatable content. Additionally, we’ve successfully adapted the studios for project-based broadcasts as well,” says Huusko.

When playlists remain unchanged, they can be used in programs day after day, eliminating the need for separate rehearsals to test different backgrounds and angles.

These changes also brought adjustments to staffing. With fewer camera operators needed, the roles of studio personnel had to be redefined. Staff members affected by the transition received in-house training to prepare for their new responsibilities.

“We have staff who have taken on completely new workflows and job descriptions. At the same time, this personnel was working on productions while we were already changing for the future. Our staff pulled through really well,” says Huusko.

Additionally, the studio now features an impressive 154 square meters of LED wall surfaces. Unlike traditional fixed sets, the environment can be easily customized to match different programs and themes with just the touch of a button. This flexibility ensures the studio remains fresh and adaptable to evolving needs.

A collaborative approach

The success of this large-scale project was built on seamless cooperation between all parties involved, as reflected in the number of contributors.

“One of the biggest challenges of this comprehensive reform was managing everything in a project-oriented and synchronized way and carefully examining how different elements, such as the redesign of the studio’s look and its technical setup, were interdependent,” explains Huusko.

The largest studio spans an impressive 300 square meters. We were ultimately working with millimeter-level accuracy to position the camera tracks, ensuring they didn’t collide with anything while maintaining optimal shooting distances. This level of detail required close collaboration at every step.

Juha Huusko
Head of technology
Yle News

Beyond upgrading the studios, the project also established a new model for teamwork. A diverse group of experts formed a joint team that brought together technology specialists from both Yle and Media Tailor.

This dedicated team played a key role in building the entire system and continues to drive its daily development while also managing potential disruptions.

This collaborative approach ensures that no one is left to navigate challenges alone. There’s always support available when needed.

“Without this model, the project would still be ongoing, and further development would not be possible. It’s truly a team effort,” says Huusko.

This is also one of the biggest successes of the reform, getting such a large number of people to commit and motivate themselves to such a significant change.

“It’s rare to see meetings with such a large group so consistently well attended. Everyone has been eager to learn and actively participate. The process has created a meaningful environment for exploring new technologies and being part of the journey,” Kotakorpi explains.

The work is by no means finished, as development has continued ever since the launch. And as we have seen, there is still a lot of potential just waiting to be realized. Media Tailor will continue to play an important role as a maintenance and development partner for Yle.

Goals achieved – right on time

In short, the two-year reform successfully met its objectives, and all planned broadcasts have been delivered seamlessly ever since.

“When we aired the first broadcast, we didn’t encounter a single production issue related to the media network. That’s something we were initially concerned about,” says Huusko.

“Had we chosen to build on the outdated SDI-based architecture, we would likely have faced diminishing vendor support before long. Updating certain technologies would have been slower and much more cumbersome,” he adds.

The positive momentum from the successful launch has continued, with everything running smoothly—except for one brief hiccup in July.

“For 10 minutes that month, we had to display a temporary failure mode screen. However, together with Media Tailor, we quickly found solutions to prevent similar issues in the future. Every programme has since been produced as planned, which I consider a significant achievement,” Huusko reflects.

Our objectives were met, and now we have a platform that enables us to explore new ways of working, adopt advanced techniques, and much more. There’s still untapped potential. We have plenty of room to grow.

Juha Huusko
Head of Technology
Yle News

In the end, the outcome was influenced by a great deal of coincidence. Building the studios with IP technology was by no means a foregone conclusion. Had it not been for the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project might have ended up relying on SDI technology instead.

“So many of the necessary features were only finalized during the project itself. It simply wouldn’t have been possible to implement them much earlier,” Kotakorpi explains, emphasizing that everything worked out for the best:

“We took a bold leap and adopted new technology. The risk paid off, even though we pushed the limits with tight deadlines. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the end result.”

The most significant efforts of a career

Even after nearly a year, the enthusiasm remains high. The positive impact of the studio upgrade is undeniable and here to stay.

“We’ve been able to completely transform our production processes. We’ve overcome the productivity bottlenecks and can now create content much more efficiently than before. What’s even more exciting is that we’re confident in our ability to scale production significantly with far fewer resources.”

“We have created an environment that allows us to respond to disruptions more effectively than ever before. Even in the event of a failure, we can continue delivering content to the public—something that would have been nearly impossible in the past. We’ve gained a wealth of new knowledge and continue to learn more every day,” says Huusko.

For the team at Media Tailor, this project was one of the most significant in the company’s history. It also served as a major testament to their expertise in pioneering a solution never before implemented in Finland.

We had never tackled anything like this before, but that didn’t slow us down—we had the right expertise. This project was a successful adoption of new technology by the entire team.

Teemu Strand
Systems Specialist
Media Tailor

For many involved, this project was—and may remain—the most significant endeavor of their careers. The shared commitment and determination to succeed were evident, as every team member worked towards a common goal, taking full ownership of the project.

“There were emotional moments, seeing the studios nearly completed and realizing it was all coming together successfully. It was truly moving,” Huusko admits.

“During the project, we set new records—for blood pressure and grey hair! There were a few tough moments, but in the end, it was all worth it,” Kotakorpi adds with a laugh.