Commercial broadcaster MTV3 has decided that it will no longer broadcast the Miss Finland beauty pageant. The television channel says its decision is based on economic reasons, adding that it’s not profitable to produce a single programme despite the fact that the beauty face-off has gathered around one million viewers each year.
Programme Director Jorma Sairanen admitted that there are other reasons driving the decision, including the fact that beauty pageants may no longer be seen as relevant. He noted that this has also happened in other countries.
“The product is dated. Competitions are not the same as before,” he declared.
In recent years the commercial broadcaster has attempted to update the competition, but now it may be the turn of another television channel to try to breathe new life into the product.
Not the end of the world
Although regretful about the end of the cooperation with MTV3, “miss-maker” Eino Makunen of pageant organizer Finnartist Oy said he understands the decision to end the reign of the televised pageant.
“Everything has its time. I think we may have been one of MTV3’s oldest programmes,” Makunen added.
Although the pageant curtain will close for good on the MTV3 stage, Makunen is optimistic about the future. He has not yet offered the format to other channels since the next Miss Finland competition is nearly one year away.
“It’s not the end of the world. In 1982 nothing was televised, but back then we got a lot out of the competition, mostly due to the press,” Makunen mused.
He pointed out that there are other media besides television, and expected that after some thirty years on television interest in the competition would be high and that it would be keenly followed in the press.
MTV3 has broadcast the pageant for nearly 40 years. Before that it was televised by national broadcaster Yle for a few seasons.