Russian family in Vantaa watches both Finnish and Russian TV channels
“We are exceptional: all our friends watch Russian channels”
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By Milla Autio
“Today we argued about how many ships NATO has in the Black Sea”, says Ruslan Susi. There are other Russian-speaking drivers at his work place, and heated debates on items in the news take place every day. “There is always enough news for that”. Especially now.
As Russians living in Finland, Ruslan, 36, and Tatjana Susi, 26, are exceptional in that they do not watch Russian-language TV channels at their home in the Hakunila district of Vantaa.
“We can’t put up a satellite dish, and cable channels do not interest us.”
On Wednesday evening, Finnish basketball players can be seen on the screen. Aquariums gurgle on both sides of the TV. Baby Sofia is asleep.
“We are an exception”, Tatjana says. “All of our friends have Russian channels. If there is something interesting we will go to our friends and watch it. We were completely without a television for a while.”
Tatjana says that TV takes up too much time. “But it is easier to follow sports on TV than on the Internet”, Ruslan responds.
“Naturally the news is more interesting when there are situations like the one in Georgia”, Ruslan says. But the family reads the news on line. There are screens in the home here and there.
“We need to compare what is said in Finland and what is said in Russia. The American and Russian points of view are quite different. Hahaha! Neither of them would seem to be thoroughly right.”
The Susi family trusts Russian TV in some matters. “I like to watch Muhtari at my grandmother’s house”, says
Jemeljan Susi, 6, who crawls onto the sofa. “There is a dog that chases crooks and catches them. Then the police come, and everything is OK.”
The Finnish children’s programme Pikku kakkonen is also trustworthy. “Yes, I watch it Jemeljan says.
Three generations of the Susi family live in Finland. Tatjana came 11 years ago from Russian Karelia. Ruslan is from Latvia, and there are Ingrians in the previous generation.
Everyone in the Susi family watches a joke contest aired by Russian television, where the teams compete with the best stories. It always culminates just before the new year, after which the family will often spend the night at their grandmother’s home.
At the new year, the bells of the Kremlin ring.
“Television brings Russia closer. It’s a little like expanding cultural space around us”, Tatjana Susi says.
On the other hand, the family also has Finnish TV habits. “Before elections we watch debates. Then there are the Formula 1 races, and Idols.”
Should Finnish TV produce programmes in Russian? “Yes, they could”, Ruslan says. “No point”, says Tatjana. “Eek, eek”, says their parrot in the kitchen.
Ruslan says that it is sometimes difficult to understand the news in Finnish.
“If you come to Finland, you need to learn Finnish”, Tatjana says. “Well, it’s my opinion. At our home my father didn’t get Russian TV stations for seven years, and he was right. Now Mother complains that we watch them too much.”
The parents are over 50 years old. “Russian television is important for them.”
“It is not easy to come to a foreign country at the age of forty”, says Tatjana, whose parents work here - at a store, and as a bus driver.
“My father speaks Finnish very badly”, Ruslan says. “He missed his friends and went back. His television and his satellite dish were left behind.”
“We are no TV family”, Tatjana Susi says. But they have been on the other side of the TV screen too.
Ruslan Susi played a silent Chechen two years ago on the series Poikkeustila (“State of Emergency”), on TV 1 on the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) . “It was just right for my language skills.” Tatjana’s debut role was as Mari, who worked at the Sörnäinen refugee centre.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 6.9.2008
MILLA AUTIO / Helsingin Sanomat
milla.autio@hs.fi
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| 9.9.2008 - THIS WEEK |
 Russian family in Vantaa watches both Finnish and Russian TV channels |
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