Yle’s news anchor Jussi-Pekka Rantanen was almost certain that a mistake on the night shift would have ended his work in radio news.
Yle’s news anchor Jussi-Pekka Rantanen (right) worked in the same company’s radio news in the 1990s. Elle Laitila
Yle news anchor Jussi-Pekka Rantanen revealed the most embarrassing blunder of his career Mightily The mess of my life – in the story series.
Rantanen, 49, worked in the 1990s as Yle’s radio news deputy, and his shifts were often at night.
Towards the end of one night, Rantanen was preparing for the last news broadcast of the night shift starting at five o’clock.
– I had already planned all the news topics and printed the papers well in advance. Then the first reporter of the morning shift came in, Rantanen said.
Rantanen stayed to talk with the morning reporter until he realized that it was 5:02. Rantanen immediately realized that he had forgotten his news broadcast.
– A cold flash went through my whole body, such a total paralysis. Of course, I quickly took action when I had to, but it was a terrible feeling physically.
However, Rantanen got the news read, because the Radio Suomen night reporter had played the song while waiting for the news to start.
– I read the news, but after that I felt terrible. At the end of my shift, I drove from Helsinki to my student dorm in Tampere and thought that I would never be invited to work on the radio again.
Years later, Rantanen said he just laughed at his mistake. Rantanen has worked as Yle’s TV news anchor since 2007. For years, he has also covered Linna’s celebrations on Yle.