Wessberg expected to remain YLE Director-General for one more year

Extensive changes proposed for Finnish Broadcasting Company administration

Arne Wessberg

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Arne Wessberg, the current Director-General of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), is likely to continue in his post for another year.
      The YLE Administrative Council, composed of Members of Parliament, is to vote on the issue today, Friday, and it appears likely that the proposal to postpone the choice of a new top executive for YLE will be approved with the support of representatives of the two main government parties, the Centre and the Social Democrats.
      Wessberg, 61, completed his second five-year term as Director-General already at the end of 2003. The Administrative Council decided to extend his term until the end of this year, and now it seems that his retirement is again being postponed by another year.
      The opposition National Coalition Party has come out in favour of picking a new Director-General already this year, but says that it will not oppose an extension of Wessberg’s term if it loses the vote over the timetable of the transition.
     
The compromise came at the end of a political row sparked by the proposal that the vice chairman of the Administrative Council, Jouni Backman (SDP), should be named the next Director-General of YLE. He was supported by the chairman of the council, Markku Laukkanen (Centre).
      A number of members of the council objected to the procedure, and many felt that Backman was not competent for the job. Backman withdrew his name from consideration.
      Council chairman Markku Laukkanen has faced a good deal of criticism over his handling of the affair, and there have been calls for his replacement, especially from the ranks of the National Coalition Party and the Social Democrats.
      On Thursday, Laukkanen said that he would consider his position after Friday’s meeting. He noted that he still has the mandate of the Centre Party’s Parliamentary group.
     
Meanwhile, a proposed new administrative model for the Finnish public service broadcaster would bring more politicians into the decision-making bodies of the company. However, the Director-General would not be a politician.
      A Parliamentary working group considering the future of the Finnish Broadcasting Company has proposed the formation of a board of directors comprising members from outside the company.
      The group, headed by Seppo Niemelä (Centre), proposes that the members of the board would be chosen by the Administrative Council. Under the new model, the Director-General would be chosen by the board, and not the Administrative Council, as is the case now.
      The proposal of the working group is to be made public on October 13th.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Backman withdraws from YLE leadership race (30.9.2004)
  Choice of top executive of Finnish Broadcasting Company postponed (29.9.2004)

Links:
  YLE web site: This is YLE

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