Buzz
You may be familiar with the slow food movement, a philosophy that encourages cooking and dining slowly, fully immersed in the experience, as a response to our fast-paced, fast food culture. This slow concept has expanded into various areas of life: slow gardening, slow parenting, and slow travel, all providing a much-needed alternative to the constant rush and distractions of modern existence. The slow approach works wonders for anything that benefits from mindfulness and enjoyment. So, for the past few years, Norway has applied the slow concept to…television? Yes, and surprisingly, it's been a major hit.
Slow TV? Aren't we already glued to the screen enough? Maybe, but do we truly watch it? Here are four things Norway transformed into slow-motion spectacles.
1. A Train Journey
In 2009, to mark the 100th anniversary of Norway's Bergen Railway, the national public broadcasting company decided to film and broadcast the entire 7 hour 16 minute journey from Bergen to Oslo, a route known as one of the most scenic in the world. Four cameras, two mounted at the front of the train and two at the back, captured an "orgy of beautiful nature." There was no storyline, no special effects—just uninterrupted landscapes with occasional onboard interviews. As the train passed through tunnels, archival photos of the railway's history were displayed.
Bergensbanen: Minutt for minutt became a massive success, attracting over 1.2 million viewers in a country of about 5 million, with 172,000 people tuning in to watch the entire journey from beginning to end.
2. A Sea Voyage
In 2011, they followed up with Hurtigruten: Minutt for minutt, an incredible 134-hour sea voyage through the fjords from Bergen to Kirkenes. Enthusiastic fans across the globe streamed it online.
3. A Fire
At least journeys have a destination. The boundaries of slow TV were pushed to the limit this February with Nasjonal Vedkveld (National Wood Fire Night), a 4-hour discussion about firewood, followed by 8 hours of a crackling fireplace. This time, the station did receive some viewer complaints, but not about the slow pace of the show. Instead, the complaints revolved around differing opinions on whether bark-up or bark-down was the correct way to stack firewood. Norwegians take their firewood seriously.
4. A Sole Interview
What new levels of slowness can Norwegian television achieve from here? This May, Norwegians set the world record for the longest interview when reporter Mads Andersen spoke with writer/historian/politician/chess player Hans Olav Lahlum for 30 uninterrupted hours on VGTV.
In an era where people can barely focus on one screen for more than a few minutes, how does slow TV capture audiences? Viewers on TV websites and social media are amazed by their own fascination with these shows, surprised by how they become absorbed. The shows create both calm and excitement, turning simple moments into profound experiences through their contrast with repetitive monotony. Or, as the project manager of the Hurtigruten cruise show explained to Reuters, "It’s the opposite of everything else on TV—that’s why it stands out and why, apparently, people want to watch."
