Andrew Spicer

Roel Puijk

Eva Bakoy

This edited collection focuses on the production cultures of successful small and medium-sized (SME) film and television companies in Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK, based on a three-year research project, ‘Success in the Film and Television Industries’ (SiFTI) funded by the Norwegian Research Council. It explores case studies of multiple businesses that have thrived over a period of at least five years and have made several successful productions: both in terms of popularity and critical acclaim. Chapters investigate their histories and evolution, contextualising these companies and the people who work for them within macro-economic and cultural conditions. This anthology goes further – to compare and contrast these companies cross-nationally, in order to seek common elements that may explain how they have been able to survive and thrive.

A Cross-National Perspective

Building Successful and Sustainable Film and Television Businesses

Thanks to global television, millions of viewers now watch the Olympics across the world. For the first time, the Winter Olympics were available on television in 120 countries across every continent. The XVIIth Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer were a huge media success winning increased ratings in many countries. In the US, the CBS viewing figures beat every previous Olympic prime-time rating - for either the Summer or Winter Games.

How the World Viewed Norway During the 1994 Winter Olympics

Global Spotlights on Lillehammer

Slow TV has become a familiar feature of broadcasting in Norway. It refers to a set of programmes produced by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) since 2009, starting out with a seven-hour broadcasting of the train ride between Bergen and Oslo. The concept of slow TV and ‘minute-by-minute’ broadcasting was developed so that the event on television lasts as long as in real time. Several broadcasters outside Norway, including BBC Four, YLE, SRF and Netflix, have now taken up the concept of slow TV. The first study of this genre, this highly original book explores three different aspects of the phenomenon of slow TV: the perspective of the broadcaster, the perspective of the producers and other actors involved in the production of the programme, and that of the audience. It goes beyond the question of genre and considers how slow TV fits into television scheduling and how the audience appeal can be understood within broader concepts such as media events, media tourism, reception and national identity. Public service broadcasters can be seen as having more opportunity to experiment, and slow TV can be seen as a good example of public service programming. What attracts viewers to the programmes is that they invite a contemplative mode of watching: there is a chance to see something unexpected, or to be introduced to interesting new things. Illustrated throughout in full colour, using stills from broadcast programmes. This book will appeal primarily to an academic readership, both researchers and students. Most readers are likely to be involved with media and communication studies, cultural studies and film studies. It will also be of interest more generally to the humanities and social sciences fields as it touches on topics such as national and local identity, popular culture, Nordic lifestyle, well-being, tradition, community and popular culture.

An Analysis of Minute-by-Minute Television in Norway

Slow TV

Slow-TV has become a rather often used concept in Norway. It refers to a set of programmes produced by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) since 2009, starting out with a seven-hour broadcasting of the train-ride between Bergen and Oslo. The concept of slow-TV and 'minute by minute' broadcasting was developed, meaning that the event on television should last as long as in real time. The idea of slow-TV has been taken over by several broadcasters outside Norway, e.g. BBC4, YLE, SRF and Netflix. This book explores different aspects of this phenomenon from the point of view of the producers and other actors involved in the production of the programme, from the perspective of the viewers as well as how the programmes developed over time. It discusses theoretical concepts of slowness, innovation, genre, media event, media tourism and reception as well as local and national identity.

Roel Puijk

Books

Your next favorite book is out there