Miina Pärn calls for deeper scrutiny of Estonia’s cultural sector

Estonian cultural journalism should look beyond reviews and examine how the sector works, Klassikaraadio editor-in-chief Miina Pärn said on the programme Meediatund, according to ERR. She said cultural institutions should be investigated with the same journalistic rigour as other parts of society, while coverage should also reach people unfamiliar with the sector’s specialist language.

Pärn, who took up her post in early 2026, said Klassikaraadio is more than a classical music station. Its programming includes curated music, concert broadcasts and cultural journalism. Classical music makes up about 65% of the schedule, alongside jazz, folk, world and contemporary music.

She said stronger cultural journalism could strengthen culture’s position in society. One example is Pähklipureja, a new investigative cultural journalism programme that explores cultural trends and problems in a wider social context. It may examine links between politics and culture through music, or look at how cultural institutions operate and what processes remain out of public view.

Pärn said the station wants to focus more on scrutinising processes that receive little attention, rather than limiting criticism to works or performances. She also said Klassikaraadio aims to guide listeners towards music that may not seem familiar or easy to understand at first, including works by composers living today.

Culture needs a watchdog

In Pärn’s view, cultural journalism should pay more attention to how the sector functions, including its funding, cultural policy and institutional management. Previewing events and reviewing them afterwards remain important, she said, but so does critical analysis of the institutions behind them.

Journalists may have long-standing relationships with the musicians and other sources they cover, which can make difficult questions uncomfortable. Pärn said journalists should still strive for independence. Culture deserves the same serious coverage as any other field, she said, particularly because it receives substantial public funding and its institutions should operate transparently.

Discussing problems does not mean attacking the cultural sector, Pärn said. Nor does cultural journalism need to become more combative. Reviews should offer analysis that helps readers understand what happened in a work or performance and why, rather than simply delivering a verdict.