Norway to broadcast 100 hours of chess

[The Straight Story]

Norway to broadcast 100 hours of chess


Norwegian broadcaster NRK has decided to broadcast every single move of Magnus Carlsen's battle to become the world's chess champion -- a massive 100 hours of coverage -- on its top channel NRK1, a move influenced by its latest string of 'slow-TV' successes.

The 22-year-old Norwegian prodigy will this Saturday begin playing reigning champion Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand in the Indian city of Chennai, in a contest that will continue over 19 days.

"It's a little crazy to broadcast nearly 100 hours of chess on the country's largest TV channel, but we think the Norwegian people would like to finally be able to follow Magnus Carlsen's outstanding achievements up close," Rune Haug, NRK's head of sports said.

He said that he expected his team to learn lessons from NRK's recent line of 'slow-TV' programmes, such as the "National Knitting Evening" broadcast last Saturday, which featured 13 hours of non-stop knitting coverage.

http://www.thelocal.no/20131104/norways-to-show-100-hours-of-chess

[Itchinjim]

1. So that's like what, four moves?

[PoliticAverse]

2. Are they streaming it online?... n/t

[hfojvt]

3. that may be a tough sell

I undestand HGTV is gonna air 100 hours of paint drying in the same time slot.

I think the chess may not win that battle.

[SunSeeker]

4. Oh good God, their suicide rate is already too high.

[chillfactor]

5. I admire chess players..

I wish I could find someone to teach me how to play the game

[TheMightyFavog]

6. Why not the World Championships of Diplomacy?

At least with Diplomacy, there's a chance of a fistfight breaking out.

[1000words]

7. This is worthy of the Python boys

[Diclotican]

14. 1000words

1000words

Monty Python was motstly fiction - this is Reality....

Diclotican

[cui bono]

8. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

but glad this isn't about Obama!

[Buns_of_Fire]

9. And in a brilliant move of counter-programming, the Travel Channel is airing

a new ten-segment mini-series, "Countdown: The 100 Greatest Putting Greens in the World".

[dimbear]

10. Already famous for detective stories, now branching out onto the chessboard.

There's no stopping them. Country with about the population of Los Angeles, IIRC.

[Diclotican]

13. dimbear

dimbbear

I'm not sure Norway even have the population of Los Angeles - little over 5 million people in the whole of the country

Diclotican

[DeSwiss]

11. K&R

[Diclotican]

12. The Straight Story

The Straight Story

This is not the first time NRK have doing this the last couple of years - this "slow tv programs" started with Bergensbanen, minutt for minutt some years ago - or the Railroad from Bergen to Oslo if you want it - with history around the railroad - from when it was build 100 year ago - to the different histories around the area - like some of the railroad stations - and so one... It was 7 hour and 50 minutes of train on national TV (NRK 2 mainly.)

Then a couple of years later it was Hurtigruten minutt for minutt) Or the Hurtigruten who goes all the way from Bergen to Kirkenes - and it seen as Highway nr 1 in Norway - at least in old days it was one of the most important sailing routs in Norway -And also one of the most important ways of getting all the different stuff we people need to live today - everything from the latest newspaper to new parts to your engine - and all the different stuffs in between.. And Hurtigruten is one of the institutions most Norwegians have a opinion about - bad or positive.. And is also a very great commercial for tourist, who tend to travel the Hurtigruten in the summer season - and they are coming from all parts of the world - from Japan, US, China and Denmark to say a few.. it took 5 days to complete the journey - and all of it was documented... It was rather cool in fact, a lot different from whatever else NRK could have aired that week... And by the way - Hurtigruten was sold as it was to more than 50 nations all over the world after it first was aired here in Norway - I guess a few more would enjoy some "slow TV" too - and the concept have been used in a few other nations - like Denmark and Sweden - and at least Switzerland...

And then it was 13 hours of national knitting day - not that exacting as the others, but it was little interesting, to look at people knitting - and all the histories around traditions and so one,....


And now also 100 hours of shes on national TV on top of it all....

Diclotican