Kaleva has long believed that a vibrant Oulu and a lively region promote people’s well-being. Kaleva therefore wanted to encourage trade, industry, business, transportation and travel already in its founding year. Even then, these factors were considered as the keys to success. Reporting on topics in the Oulu region as well as writing about both the northern Finnish and international topics aims to enhance the living conditions in North Finland.
Loyal advertising clients weren’t abandoned even when Russia controlled censorship abolished Kaleva for three months in 1901. At that time, Kaleva served its circulation area with a publication named Lukekaa Ilmoituksia (Read Ads).
In its first year, the newspaper had the courage to be issued already six times a week, which was rather exceptional in Oulu. The readers and advertisers were pleased about this dense pace as they felt that they got what they needed.
In the early 20th century, new special sections and theme issues were provided for readers, previously unseen in the Oulu area. Kaleva published for example an agriculture section and a column targeted only at women that showed the newspaper was well ahead of its time. Before 1906, women didn’t even have the right to vote in Finland.
Kaleva also had a commodity at its use, rather rare to that times northern circumstances – a bicycle. It was the first in the city. People stopped to watch as the two-wheeled named Polle flew by, rode by the reporter with what at that time was perceived as ”unimaginable speed”.
