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Cold war television diplomacy : The German Democratic Republic on Finnish television

Saarenmaa, Laura LU and Cronqvist, Marie LU orcid (2020) In Nordicom Review 41(1). p.19-31
Abstract
Following the formal diplomatic recognition of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) by the Nordic countries in 1972, an intensive collaboration over the Baltic Sea was initiated in a number of societal fields (Almgren, 2009; Hentilä, 2006; Linderoth, 2002; Åkerlund, 2011), one of which was broadcasting, particularly public service television. As an accommodating yet non-aligned neighbour of the Soviet Union, Finland was an important target for the diplomatic attention and influence of the GDR; however, Finns were hardly passive objects of diplomatic pressure. Rather, there were strong sympathies for the East Germans among the Finnish public, political elite, and media (Hentilä, 2004, 2006; Rusi, 2007, 2012).

While earlier research... (More)
Following the formal diplomatic recognition of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) by the Nordic countries in 1972, an intensive collaboration over the Baltic Sea was initiated in a number of societal fields (Almgren, 2009; Hentilä, 2006; Linderoth, 2002; Åkerlund, 2011), one of which was broadcasting, particularly public service television. As an accommodating yet non-aligned neighbour of the Soviet Union, Finland was an important target for the diplomatic attention and influence of the GDR; however, Finns were hardly passive objects of diplomatic pressure. Rather, there were strong sympathies for the East Germans among the Finnish public, political elite, and media (Hentilä, 2004, 2006; Rusi, 2007, 2012).

While earlier research on the relations between Finland and the GDR has concentrated on political parties and organisations, top politicians, and the field of state diplomacy (Hentilä, 2004, 2006; Rusi, 2007, 2012), the perspectives of the public and the media have remained unexplored. Thus, this article opens a new perspective on Finland’s Cold War history by examining the role of the state-run, license fee-funded public service television company, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), in maintaining and deepening diplomatic relations with East Germany, from the recognition of East Germany in 1972 to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.1 (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nordicom Review
volume
41
issue
1
pages
19 - 31
publisher
The Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research
external identifiers
  • scopus:85082320125
ISSN
2001-5119
DOI
10.2478/nor-2020-0002
project
Transborder television. Scandinavia and the GDR in the 1970s
Entangled television histories. Media networks and programme exchange between the GDR and Sweden
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5fabe6a6-6d67-47df-892d-47d9a5bc002b
date added to LUP
2020-01-30 19:05:30
date last changed
2025-01-10 06:31:14
@article{5fabe6a6-6d67-47df-892d-47d9a5bc002b,
  abstract     = {{Following the formal diplomatic recognition of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) by the Nordic countries in 1972, an intensive collaboration over the Baltic Sea was initiated in a number of societal fields (Almgren, 2009; Hentilä, 2006; Linderoth, 2002; Åkerlund, 2011), one of which was broadcasting, particularly public service television. As an accommodating yet non-aligned neighbour of the Soviet Union, Finland was an important target for the diplomatic attention and influence of the GDR; however, Finns were hardly passive objects of diplomatic pressure. Rather, there were strong sympathies for the East Germans among the Finnish public, political elite, and media (Hentilä, 2004, 2006; Rusi, 2007, 2012).<br/><br/>While earlier research on the relations between Finland and the GDR has concentrated on political parties and organisations, top politicians, and the field of state diplomacy (Hentilä, 2004, 2006; Rusi, 2007, 2012), the perspectives of the public and the media have remained unexplored. Thus, this article opens a new perspective on Finland’s Cold War history by examining the role of the state-run, license fee-funded public service television company, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), in maintaining and deepening diplomatic relations with East Germany, from the recognition of East Germany in 1972 to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.1}},
  author       = {{Saarenmaa, Laura and Cronqvist, Marie}},
  issn         = {{2001-5119}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{19--31}},
  publisher    = {{The Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research}},
  series       = {{Nordicom Review}},
  title        = {{Cold war television diplomacy : The German Democratic Republic on Finnish television}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/nor-2020-0002}},
  doi          = {{10.2478/nor-2020-0002}},
  volume       = {{41}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}