It was not an April Fool’s joke: Betonilive Starts on April 3rd in Finland

Published: 2.4.2025

Yesterday, on April 1, Digita released a press release about a new 24 h live broadcast that will cover concrete drying live. It was not an April Fool's joke, but the new channel Betonilive will actually start on April 3 at 5 p.m. on the website digita.fi/betonilive and on the antenna television on channel 38. The channels are operated by Digita and will remain in operation until the concrete is dry.

Finland is the promised land of various live streams, and now, alongside the popular Pentulive puppy stream, Norppalive seal stream and others, a new round-the-clock live stream is starting: Betonilive. The new 24/7 live broadcast will feature concrete cast in a special mold, fitted with remote-readable humidity and temperature sensors integrated into the structure, so viewers can see real-time data on the progress of the concrete’s drying process.

“We wanted to introduce Finns a somewhat slower-paced alternative to today’s fast-paced life and at the same time provide an opportunity to observe and learn about the stages involved in concrete drying, Challenges in construction have also been widely discussed, and here is one way to ensure quality construction,” says Digita’s VP IoT Tuomas Kolkka.

Modern IoT technology enables the monitoring of moisture in structures and is also used in Betonilive to provide viewers with real-time information on how dry the concrete slab is at any given moment.

“IoT will enable and is already enabling the construction industry to do many things that will improve the quality and safety of buildings. Ensuring that concrete structures are dry is one part of this,” says Kolkka.

Participating in Betonilive, we also have Mitta Oy and its Wiiste measurement systems for the construction industry. Mitta has been responsible for casting the concrete element and installing the humidity sensors.

“With this live stream, the people in Finland can gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of concrete and how this important building element behaves during the curing process. And, of course, relax with a slow-paced TV experience at the time of day of their choosing,” says Mitta’s Wiiste product manager Toni Luopajärvi.

Betonilive will start on April 3 at 5 p.m. online at digita.fi/betonilive and on antenna television network on channel position 38. To see Betonilive on antenna television, households with antenna TV need to rescan the channels. Most receivers will automatically search for the channels. Some older receivers may require a factory reset before performing the channel scan. Instructions for tuning the channels can be found in the device’s user manual and on the digita.fi website.

If the media want to embed the stream on their own website, please contact Digita’s communications.

Digita/Communications