The magazine was started in 1922 under the title Viikko-Sanomat as the official media outlet of the Economic Enlightenment Center and was distributed to the trailers who were members of the organization.[1] It was acquired by the Finnish media company Sanoma in 1930 and was renamed as Viikkosanomat.[1][2] The magazine was published on a weekly basis.[3] It contained articles and travel stories which were accompanied by photographs.[4] Viikkosanomat featured numerous literary stories in the 1950s.[5]
One of its editors-in-chief was Aatos Erkko who served in the post in the 1950s.[6] The magazine was among the pro-Western and anti-communist periodicals in Finland.[4] It was the only Finnish publication which uncovered the killing of Hungarians during the Hungarian Uprising in 1956.[4] These news reports were written by Simopekka Nortamo, future editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat.[7] He received a grant from the Americans after these reports.[7]
Viikkosanomat enjoyed highest circulation levels in the period between 1952 and 1954.[5] The magazine folded in 1975.[8]
