“In Kainuu, there is room to be yourself.” – Anne Moilanen, Editor-in-Chief of Kainuun Sanomat and author
I am Anne Moilanen, 49, Editor-in-Chief of Kainuun Sanomat and an author. I started at the paper—affectionately known as Kainari—in February 2026, so I have now been in my current role for just over four months. My debut novel, Uhma, was published last autumn. I am currently writing my second novel, which is set for publication in the spring of 2027.
My career has taken unexpected turns, much like life itself. I have made bold choices, taken risks, and seized opportunities as they arose. Above all, I haven’t sat at home waiting for things to happen; instead, I have eagerly pursued the things that interest me.
I have spent the majority of my career working as a journalist across various media outlets. I am originally from Suomussalmi, where I started out as a contributor for the local paper Ylä-Kainuu while still a 16-year-old high school student. From there, my path led to summer reporting roles at Kainuun Sanomat and Helsingin Sanomat, and later to positions at major media outlets in the south. I spent the longest period of my career at Yle in Pasila, working on TV and radio news as well as the current affairs program A-studio.
Previously, I served as Editor-in-Chief for Tulva (the magazine of the Feminist Association Union) and for the online media outlet MustRead, which focuses on societal issues. At the time, MustRead was a startup, and I was one of its co-founders and shareholders. I have also worked for years as a freelancer and spent time in the communications sector. I am interested in the economy, politics, and societal issues.
My educational background is in the humanities; I studied theatre and drama research at the University of Tampere. When I was younger, I aimed for a career in the arts, but I ended up becoming a journalist instead. It has been a fitting profession for me because I am curious and want to understand the heart of the matter. I really enjoy people, and I love the atmosphere of a newsroom—the humor, the energy, and the buzz! Social news work provides a perfect counterbalance to the solitary nature of writing.
Career highlights and challenges
Usually, only the highlights are visible to the outside world. There have been many in my career, as I have sought out roles involving significant responsibility and, at times, a high public profile—such as the position of editor-in-chief at Kainuun Sanomat. I am delighted that the selection committee had the courage to choose me. I don’t fit the mold of the typical “guy” often found in the role of regional newspaper editor-in-chief. Together with the editorial team, we plan to implement major reforms. Fortunately, Kainuun Sanomat has a truly fantastic, talented, and skilled editorial staff!
A major personal achievement recently was the publication of my first novel. Writing it was a massive undertaking—something I simply had to do. It was about a midlife crisis—the feeling that I had something to say! And the question of whether I would say it before I die. Now that I’ve broken the ice, I intend to keep writing books.
My career has also had its challenges; it hasn’t all been smooth sailing or accolades. I’ve applied for a great many jobs, as the media industry has been fiercely competitive throughout my adult life. There have been times when I was unemployed—for instance, around the time I was having children. It is abundantly clear that women having children leads to various forms of discrimination, whether direct or at least indirect. I’ve often had to prove my competence. The upside, however, is that I’ve actually had to demonstrate my skills, learn new things, and master new areas.
At some point, I realized that in certain hiring situations, no amount of qualification is enough. There are plenty of informal networks where men who are alike help one another.
Personally, I’ve been pretty bad at going out of my way to please anyone. I haven’t known how to worm my way into the good graces of the “right” people—so to speak—but have instead blurted out my opinions directly. Yet, here I am! And hey, fortunately, times have changed. At least a little.
Positive experiences along my career path
A good example is my current employer, Hilla Group. They were open to a partial remote work arrangement, which allowed me to keep my home in Helsinki as well. My two youngest children still live at home. They are in their father’s care most of the time, but I spend long weekends in the capital every other week—usually from thursday to tuesday. Of course, this arrangement works because my ex-partner is willing to take on more of the childcare responsibilities than I do.
That said, I have to admit that having children has actually made working life more difficult. When I became pregnant for the first time, my fixed-term contract was not renewed. When I tried to return to work after family leave, finding a position was a struggle. I have often watched from the sidelines as men with less experience than me were hired for permanent roles or selected for positions of responsibility. I have had so many experiences like this that they have fueled my determination, strengthened my feminism, and deepened my desire to fight for improving the status of women.
On good workplace practices
I am not a big proponent of remote work; in my experience, results are almost always better when the team works primarily on-site. In general, I believe that if you want to succeed, you need to be prepared to put in a significant amount of work, rather than looking for exceptions or easy options.
Women are far too flexible in their working lives, often to the benefit of their male partners. Fathers should take at least half of the family leave. Finland also has excellent day care!
What would you say to a woman considering moving to and working in Kainuu?
Just come on over! You can live a good life in Kainuu—one where you don’t spend hours every day sitting on public transport. In Kajaani, you can enjoy an unhurried, nature-oriented daily life. There is something genuinely authentic about life here.
I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything by living here. One of the best things has been joining the Kajaani Winter Swimmers. You can go to the sauna and swim in the river right in the middle of town—in summer and winter alike! It’s absolutely amazing!
Work culture in Kainuu
We beat Helsinki in this regard, too. People from Kainuu are direct, honest, and unique—often quite self-confident—personalities. There is great strength, deep self-awareness, and immense resilience in the people here—traits surely shaped by history.
There is very little of that self-important posturing here—the kind I can’t stand for even a second anymore. There is a fantastic sense of community and a culture of helping one another at the Kainuun Sanomat newspaper. The local way of speaking is a real treasure; the dialect and the timing often amuse me. When I walk into the newsroom, I often hear laughter. At work!
The best parts of living and working in Kainuu
For me, it’s definitely the fact that I’ve returned to my home turf, to my own people. Coming back to Kainuu feels like coming home. I also think there is a great deal of understanding here for creativity, art, and being different. In Kainuu, there is room to be yourself.
Photos:
Author photo in a green shirt; photo: Johnny Kniga / Otto Virtanen
Group photo of the editorial staff: Mikka Manninen / Kainuun Sanomat (showing the Kainuun Sanomat editorial team during an open house event in May 2026)
Winter photo at the station: Anne Moilanen’s personal album (showing me at Pasila station, moving to Kajaani in the winter of 2026)
