Samuli Aaltonen, the host of Yle's Koko Suomen radio program, used offensive language during a live broadcast on Monday morning, believing that his microphone was off. His comment, which included a derogatory term for the Romani population, was made after a segment about prisons. It drew attention when Ilta-Sanomat first reported on it, quickly prompting a response from the network, indicating the severity of the incident.

Aki Karjalainen, the editorial manager at Yle, confirmed the incident to Iltalehti, stating that the host's microphone had been accidentally left on, allowing the inappropriate comments to be heard by the audience. Karjalainen emphasized that the comment was unacceptable and did not align with the values of Yle. The network is taking the matter seriously and has issued an apology while committing to review the incident internally.

In light of the offensive nature of the remark, Yle has removed that segment from their streaming platform, while the rest of the program remains accessible to listeners. The incident highlights ongoing discussions in media regarding the responsibility of broadcasters to ensure sensitivity in their language, particularly concerning marginalized communities.