MTV channels to disappear for 800,000 Finnish households after distribution deal with Elisa collapses

Finnish media company MTV has terminated its distribution agreement with telecom operator Elisa, cutting off access to its free-to-air channels for roughly 800,000 households—nearly 30 percent of Finland’s total—starting Wednesday, reports public broadcaster Yle.

The affected channels include MTV3, MTV Sub, and MTV Ava, which will no longer be available via Elisa’s cable TV and Elisa Viihde streaming service. Elisa’s business director Sami Aalto called the termination “exceptional,” noting it disrupts legally mandated access to content just days before the IIHF World Championship ice hockey tournament, set to begin Friday.

“By terminating the agreement now, MTV is failing to ensure the practical fulfillment of its statutory obligation,” Aalto stated. “Up to a third of Finns will miss live broadcasts of the World Championship games.”

Negotiations between MTV and Elisa broke down after the previous distribution deal expired. In April, MTV CEO Johannes Leppänen acknowledged the risk of a blackout if no new agreement was reached, telling MTV Uutiset that the company was “working hard” to continue the partnership. MTV transitioned to Norwegian ownership under Schibsted last year.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between media companies and telecom providers over content distribution terms in Finland.