Icareus and the City of Helsinki have launched an updated version of Helsinki-kanava. Helsinki-kanava is the city’s video communications platform, bringing residents timely content ranging from City Council meetings to concert recordings and the Mayor’s community events.
The City of Helsinki and Icareus have worked together on the development of Helsinki-kanava since 2019, when Icareus won the public tender to modernize the service. The platform was first launched in January 2020 and later received a refreshed look in autumn of the same year, aligned with the city’s branding guidelines at the time.
Now Helsinki-kanava has once again been updated to meet both the city’s renewed brand standards and evolving user needs.
The upgrade significantly improves user experience, accessibility, content management, and cybersecurity.
New user interface and modern technical foundation
The interface has been completely rebuilt using modern NextJS- and React-based solutions together with the Icareus Video Cloud APIs. As a result, the service is faster, more secure, and better scalable.
The renewal addressed three key challenges:
- Branding: The visual appearance of Helsinki-kanava was updated to match the city’s latest brand guidelines.
- User Experience: The service now includes features such as “Continue Watching,” content recommendations, and improved support for video series. The interface is fully responsive and works smoothly across all devices.
- Technology and Security: The old LifeRay-based interface was replaced with a modern solution that meets today’s privacy and security requirements.
More efficient content management
The update also brings significant improvements for content producers:
- Videos can now be tagged by topic or category, making search and organization easier.
- Multi-room events enable larger-scale event productions and online broadcasts.
- Support for video series has been strengthened.
- Comprehensive analytics are available to support content development.
A service for residents and internal communication
Helsinki-kanava serves both city residents and the city organization. Most content is openly available, but the platform also supports restricted internal videos such as staff communications.
The renewed service is available at:
https://www.helsinkikanava.fi/en
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and the center of an economic region of approximately 1.49 million residents and 779,000 jobs. Helsinki is Finland’s cultural, administrative, political, and business hub, home to many major companies and the country’s largest employer, with nearly 39,000 employees.
More information: http://www.hel.fi/en
Icareus
Icareus helps organisations create, manage, and deliver video with Icareus Video Cloud. The platform offers simple tools for recording, uploading, streaming, and sharing videos, webinars, and events – all in one place. Used by companies, schools, and public organisations around the world, Icareus provides flexible video tools designed for everyday use.