[2] Salmén studied at Helsinki University with philosophy as his major between 1971 and 1976.

Salmén was a TV journalist working for Yleisradio from 1976 to 1989.

[3] He was among the best-known media personalities in Finland in the 1980s because of his rapid-fire interviews and uncompromised grilling of politicians and the elite.

[2] After that Salmén worked as a columnist, essayist and a poet.

Among other honours, Salmén received the Eino Leino Prize in 2013.