Media coverage of the Finnish basic income experiment

Finnish and international media typically framed the Finnish basic experiment in terms of the economy and employment. In the media coverage, emphasis was placed on the stories of the participants of the experiment, specifically their experiences and feelings. The basic income receivers and other unemployed individuals were able to provide an alternative perspective to that of the experts and public authorities who were interviewed by the media. The basic income experiment was widely described in the media as a research project, which produced knowledge on basic income and its effects. This approach to the experiment emphasised the role of scientific research in policymaking. The Finnish media also reported on the mostly positive international attention the experiment gained. The most influential actors in the building of the Finnish experiment were the Social Security Institution (Kela) and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Their press releases and social media updates were widely noticed and influenced the way many media outlets framed the issue. Furthermore, the basic income experiment introduced the concept of social experiments for the first time to the general public in Finland.Non peer reviewe