Jyrki Otila facts for kids
Jyrki Ilari Otila (born September 2, 1941, in Helsinki; died April 14, 2003, in Tampere) was a well-known Finnish person. He was famous for being a judge on many quiz shows. He also served as a member of the European Parliament.
Jyrki Otila studied to become an economist. He became very popular because he was the judge on several TV quiz shows. Before his TV fame, Otila worked in different places. He was an assistant office chief for Yle, Finland's public broadcasting company, from 1965 to 1970.
He also worked for the United Nations in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 1970 to 1973. Later, he returned to Yle in 1974. From 1975 to 1977, he was a development aid expert in Tanzania for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He even worked as a factory chief for the Orion Corporation in Arusha, Tanzania, from 1977 to 1980.
Jyrki Otila's TV Career
Jyrki Otila was a big part of Finnish television. He started by writing questions for the Yle TV2 quiz show Thilia Thalia Tallallaa in 1982. He continued this work until he moved to a new channel, Kolmoskanava, to create quizzes there.
He also helped lead a company called Oy VipVision Finland Ltd. starting in 1995. The show Thilia Thalia Tallallaa even came back in 1998. On Kolmoskanava and another channel called Neloskanava, Otila helped make other popular quiz shows. These included Kolmosvisa, Tietopörssi, and Nelosvisa.
Jyrki Otila often worked with the TV presenter Reijo Salminen. They were a well-known duo on screen. Otila wasn't just a judge; he was also very good at quizzes himself. In 1994, he came in third place in the Suomen Tietoviisas quiz competition.
Jyrki Otila in Politics
Besides his TV work, Jyrki Otila was also involved in politics. He was chosen to be a member of the European Parliament for Finland. He served in this important role from 1996 to 1999. He was part of the National Coalition Party.
In the European Parliament, Otila worked on important committees. He was a member of the Committee on Regional Policy. This committee deals with how different areas and regions in Europe are supported and developed. He was also an alternate member of the Committee on Agricultural Policy, which focuses on farming and food production in Europe.
Later Life and Passing
Jyrki Otila passed away on April 14, 2003. He had been battling cancer for a long time. He is remembered for his contributions to Finnish television and his work in the European Parliament.
Other Activities
Jyrki Otila was involved in several other organizations:
- Suomen Veteraanijääkiekkoliitto (Finnish Veteran Ice Hockey Association), member of the board, 1983–2003
- Suomen Jääkiekkomuseoyhdistys (Finnish Ice Hockey Museum Association), member of the board, 1984–2003
- Kansainvälinen Jääkiekkoliitto (International Ice Hockey Federation), member of the veteran ice hockey committee, 1992–2003
- Suomi-Hong Kong kauppayhdistys (Finland-Hong Kong Trade Association), member of the board, 1984
- Olutliitto (Finnish Beer Association), chairman of the board, from 2000
- Suomen syöpäpotilaat RY (Finnish Cancer Patients Association)
