Norway's Slow TV: A Surprising Hit (CNN.com)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of "slow TV" in Norway, highlighting its unexpected popularity through various examples, including a national knitting evening and a lengthy chess match. Participants share their perspectives on the appeal and nature of slow TV, touching on personal experiences and cultural observations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that 1.3 million Norwegians watched a knitting evening for over 12 hours, suggesting a significant cultural engagement with slow TV.
  • Another participant humorously questions the appeal of slow TV by comparing it to watching paint dry, expressing a personal disinterest despite having a family history of knitting.
  • A different participant mentions a lengthy chess match between Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand, indicating that even chess can attract a surprising viewership, though only about half a million were registered viewers at any time.
  • One participant argues that knitting can be engaging, countering the notion that it is inherently boring.
  • Another participant shares a personal anecdote about allowing their children to watch 50's cartoons as a form of slow TV, contrasting it with modern shows like Spongebob Squarepants.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of opinions regarding the appeal of slow TV, with some finding it engaging and others dismissing it as uninteresting. There is no consensus on the overall value or entertainment quality of slow TV.

Contextual Notes

Some participants' views are influenced by personal experiences and cultural backgrounds, which may affect their perceptions of slow TV's appeal.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in media studies, cultural phenomena, or the evolution of television viewing habits may find this discussion relevant.

jtbell
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Anyone for "slow TV"?

Norway’s surprising TV hit (cnn.com)

Last Friday, 1.3 million Norwegians were indeed home, watching a smash hit television show. That's a quarter of the nation's population, tuning in for over 12 uninterrupted hours for a national…knitting evening.

A seven-hour train ride I could watch, especially if it's one through Norway. Long ago I took two days to travel by train from near Bodø to Trondheim to Oslo, gazing out the window and boggling at the scenery.
 
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LOL...knitting.

What's next, watching paint dry?

I can knit, and my mother and grandmother knitted, watching it...meh.
 
Slow TV repeated itself here in Norway today, when chess prodigy Magnus Carlsen hammered at World Champion Viswanathan Anand's position for 6 hours or so, local time here from 10.30 to 16.30 (Anand played brilliantly, and gained a well-deserved draw).

Although "only" about half a million Norwegians were registered to have been watching the show at one time or other (if not for the whole match), this kind of popularity of chess is considered surprising, even "shocking" to the Tv-producers themselves.
 
Knitting doesn't have to be boring.

Grandma+Knitting+game.jpg
 
For me, slow TV is letting my kids watch 50's cartoons but not spongebob squarepants.