24 April 2025

“We have to be clear about what we bring to the table”: Maija Koski joins FIPP Congress speaker lineup

As a speaker at this year’s FIPP World Media Congress, Maija Koski, Director of Media Group at A-lehdet, shares how the Finnish publisher is evolving from a legacy print house into a modern, multi-platform media brand shaped by today’s reader behaviours.

Maija oversees a diverse portfolio of Finnish media brands, balancing strategic planning with editorial oversight. It’s a broad role, spanning budgeting, organisational design, and long-term scenario planning. Alongside this, she also leads Kotona, A-lehdet’s umbrella digital lifestyle brand, which brings together content from multiple home and living titles.

“At heart, I’m a journalist,” she says. “But over time I’ve learned that understanding the business side helps make editorial decisions more sustainable.”

With reach comes responsibility

A-lehdet has made a point of adapting to changes in how audiences consume content. From the rise of mobile to the shift toward need-based, rather than brand-loyal, reading habits, the company has had to rethink how it reaches people.

“People used to form strong attachments to specific magazine brands, trusting them to provide a curated, packaged view of the world. Now, content consumption is much more fragmented and need-driven,” she says.

“Readers focus on topics that truly matter to them, which means niche content can thrive – but only if the potential audience is large enough. This is why expanding beyond Finnish-language media is so important for us.”

Maija believes that lifestyle journalism will play an increasingly bigger role in shaping culture.

“We want to be the best in our field, and that means our content needs to resonate emotionally and stay with our audience,” she says.

“We have a massive reach, and with that comes responsibility: what kind of lifestyles do we promote? What dreams do we help shape? Are we encouraging sustainable choices that benefit both people and the planet, or are we fueling overconsumption and contributing to the climate crisis?”

A “completely new” business model

One clear theme across A-lehdet’s media business is integration. Its lifestyle brands now share the Kotona digital platform, which combines editorial content with e-commerce and reaches audiences through multiple touchpoints, including a strong presence on social media.

“Journalism and commerce are of course clearly labelled and separated, but for the audience, it’s a seamless, convenient experience that encourages them to return – not just for content but also for shopping.”

She acknowledges that the shift to mobile has “changed everything”: “People now read, listen, and watch content primarily on their phones, and that’s been a big adjustment for magazine publishers, who spent decades perfecting the print product as the gold standard of quality and craft.”

The shift to digital consumption has reshaped how the company approaches print content.

“Looking at a beautifully styled food photo in a magazine spread is a completely different experience from seeing it on a phone screen. But because most of our food content is consumed digitally, we’ve redesigned our print magazines so that both the visuals and the articles translate seamlessly online.”

Looking ahead

Maija says that digitalisation has been the biggest shift in the media industry over the past decade, but she sees deeper changes too. “One thing that often gets overlooked is how much magazine journalism itself has evolved,” she says. “At least in Finland, it has continuously improved in depth, quality, and purpose. That’s a strength we should lean into as we navigate the future.”

Like many publishers, she is watching developments in AI closely.

“AI is both an incredible opportunity and a major challenge. For us, AI has already been a game-changer, allowing us to expand beyond Finnish-language media. The key is to actively explore its possibilities rather than risk falling behind – just as we arguably did in the early days of digitalisation and social media.”

At this year’s FIPP World Media Congress, Maija be sharing lessons from A-lehdet’s international growth efforts, as well as the challenges of combining journalism, commerce and community under one brand.

“I look forward to sharing some of the concrete lessons we’ve learned – insights that might inspire and be relevant for others as they develop their own media brands,” she says.

“At times, it feels like the magazine industry has been stuck in crisis mode for too long. But I believe that journalism created with real expertise, heart, and thoughtfulness will continue to engage audiences. We just have to be ambitious, sharp, and crystal clear about what we bring to the table.”

The FIPP World Media Congress takes place in Madrid, Spain, from 21-23 October 2025.

This event will bring together media professionals from across the globe for three days of insightful discussions, keynote presentations, workshops, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Whether you’re a seasoned industry leader or a rising innovator, the FIPP Congress promises to be an unforgettable gathering that will shape the future of media. Book now with the Pre Agenda Offer to save 650EUR from final rates.