Finnish section closes

The Finnish language section of the BBC World Service has broadcast its last programme, after fifty-seven years of transmissions from London.

Closure of the section, which has fifteen staff, was announced earlier this month.

Its highest audience was recorded last year, when it reached one-million listeners through its rebroadcasts on local stations in Finland.

The closure leaves the World Service broadcasting in forty-three languages other than English.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service