Media | “We were made to understand that sex would be interesting” – Hilla Blomberg tells about the treatment she received as a sports reporter

Isojoki Yle reporter born and raised in Kankaanpää Hilla Blomberg, 64, is a long-time radio and TV worker. Blomberg made his first sports programs as early as 1981 and continued with sports until the turn of the millennium.

In the 2000s, Blomberg became known on television from A-studio, the senior program Vierivite kivit and the peer-supporting talk show Aamusydämelli.

His more than 40-year career at Yle will end at the end of February, when Blomberg will retire.

“The employer offers homework coffees on leap day with a theme Hilla runs away to retire“, says Blomberg.

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“I had a big suitcase of records and then tangos, humps, waltzes and jyttas were played.”

Blomberg studied at the beginning of the 1980s in Jyväskylä and graduated with a master's degree in physical education in 1984.

Along with his studies, he enjoyed dancing, acted in the student theater and worked as an assistant in the city theater. On top of everything, Blomberg also had time to work as a dishwasher.

“I played records in dance restaurants in Jyväskylä. I had a big suitcase of records and then tangos, humps, waltzes and jyttas were played,” says Blomberg.

A talented young woman was asked to host Yle's youth program, and the continuation followed. In 1981, Blomberg started making the Printti program on Sundays on TV2 in lonely conditions in Tampere's Tohlop.

“I called sports results from all over Finland from the porter's booth, and told them in the evening's short broadcast,” Blomberg recalls.

He switched to radio in 1984: first for summer jobs and then for longer vacations. Blomberg became the radio's permanent sports reporter in 1988. There had been women in Yle's sports department before, but Blomberg was a pioneer as the first female commentator.

“I explained especially swimming, gymnastics and figure skating and other skill sports,” says Blomberg.

The male commentators often had an expert by their side in value competitions.

“I asked too, but I didn't get it,” says Blomberg.

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“Pleasant sound range and very clear sound.”

Sometimes own knowledge of the sport was not enough. At the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games, Blomberg had to explain snowboarding on TV, which was a new sport for him and many others. There was a lot of public feedback from the direction of the boarders.

“Someone wrote: that fucking mother-in-law didn't understand anything about the sport,” Blomberg recalls.

Instead, the descriptions of bread types were widely praised. During the Barcelona Olympic Games in the summer of 1992, Ilta-Sanomat organized a public vote for the most pleasant narrator's voice. The people valued Blomberg's talents highly, as only legends came up in his voting Anssi Kukkonen, Paavo Noponen and Raimo Häyrinen.

“Pleasant sound range and terribly clear sound,” was one reader's reasoning about Blomberg's power.

For some male colleagues, a female sports journalist was a red garment, but there were more supporters.

“Greetings to heaven Profit “Water” For Raatikaiwho supported me,” Blomberg praises the long-time boss of radio sports.

Blomberg had to put up with teasing and belittling in his first years of work. Sexual harassment was not talked about at the time, but in the male sports world it was inevitable to come across it.

“There were situations where I was made to understand that I would be interested in sex.”

Blomberg managed to stop the approximations.

“I had a big protective wall that I had built myself. I dared to reject the companies and the naysayers did not have a dominant position in my work. If the men made rude jokes, I made them wonder how it would feel if I made a similar joke back.”

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“I was so exhausted that I thought: better if they cut my throat.”

in the 21st century the mother of two young children switched from sports to current affairs programs where she didn't have to do shift work. Although the working hours were more humane, the peak years took their toll. Blomberg fell ill with hyperthyroidism and burnout in 2005.

He has talked about his dark phase in an interview with ET magazine in 2015.

“I had suicidal thoughts at my worst. I was so exhausted that I thought: it would be better if they cut my throat, then I would never have to speak or perform again.”

“For a few months, the black tape was playing in my head. It was terrifying. I just got the mail from the mailbox, but I couldn't read anything.”

After recovery, Blomberg was able to return to working life and gradually continue as a journalist-presenter as well.

In Blomberg's opinion, the return was made easier by the support of occupational health care and supervisors and his own insights into coping.

“I sincerely wanted to show that there is no need to remain a ringleader.”

Last Blomberg has not been seen on the screen in years, because he has worked as Yle's full-time occupational health and safety representative.

In her spare time, she enjoys singing, dancing and water aerobics. During her studies, Hilla danced in a samba group, created choreographies and was successful in the disco dance district championship.

He rediscovered dance ten years ago. He has been singing in the choir for a long time.

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“If you're a journalist, you can't be a fan and do things uncritically.”

A large part of my free time is currently spent working on archival material about my own life, because I am working on a memoir. Blomberg was involved in the same book workshop as Johanna Aatsalowhose recent book Disclosure – A story about doping news and a reporter who wanted to be silencedreminds us of the necessity of investigative journalism.

Blomberg has a clear understanding of the matter.

“If you're a journalist, you can't be a fan and do things uncritically.”

In his opinion, media houses should invest in investigative sports journalism.

“Even Ylen Urheilustudio could have a critical quarter,” Blomberg says.