Channel Information

Country Focus 101: Norway

By TV Mole ⋅ July 17, 2010 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ ⋅Post a comment

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By Dmitry Valberg CC BY 2.0

We’ve already taken a brief look at TV channels in Australia, Canada and The Netherlands. Now it’s time for an at-a-glance guide to the Norwegian TV landscape.

NRK

Overview:

• NRK1 is Norway’s biggest channel; a public network with remit to reach a broad and diverse audience
• 8pm weekday slot is for local entertainment shows
• Tuesday 22.30 slot airs arts and culture programmes
• Thursday 22.30 slot showcases new local comedy talent
• Sunday is given over to factual programming and there is a continuing desire for documentaries
• Older Norwegian audiences like to see nostalgic portrayals of Britain – chocolate-box villages and a quaint sense of history as they are used to watching cosy dramas such as Heartbeat
• Norwegians watch a lot of news – it has a 56% share
• NRK1 is looking for more youth and multicultural programming via local programme makers and acquisitions that will appeal to audiences between 12-30 years.

Hit Programmes

Nytt på nytt – a show based on UK format Have I Got News for You which regularly attracts 70% audience share

Beat for Beat – music quiz show

Skavlan – entertainment chatshow

Tore på sporet – talk show

Key Executives:

Arne Helsingen, Head of Television

TV2

Overview:

• Norway’s main commercial broadcaster with a share of approx. 30%
• Aims its programming at 12-49 family viewers with a range of light entertainment formats
• Most programming is locally produced

Hit Programmes:

• Farmer Wants a Wife
  
• Strictly Come Dancing
  
• Idol (but X Factor failed)
• Senkeveld med Thomas og Harald - chat show with 53% share at 22.00 on Fridays
• The Week the Women Went
• Forsvaradvokatene (Defence Lawyers) - ob doc series
• The Farm
• Norway’s Got Talent
  

Key Executives:

Nils Ketil Andresen, Director of Programming

TVNorge

Overview:

• Norway’s second biggest commercial broadcaster, which focuses on 12-44 audiences and local productions
• Concentrates on entertainment to compete with news on other channels and reality shows in early evening

Hit Programmes:

• 71 Degrees North – long running survival format
  
• America’s Funniest Home Videos
• Four Star Dinner: Half Past Eight
• Psychic Challenge
• Tangerudbakken – ob doc set in a home for people living with Down’s Syndrome
• Politiet – crime documentary series
• Blanke Ark – intervention series in which teachers tried out unconventional teaching methods to help out children who were struggling to keep up with their classmates
• Culture Shock: Norway – Norwegian Americans return to their country of origin and try to immerse themselves in the local culture

Key Executives:

Jarle Nakken, Head of Programming

Kjersti Kongtorp Skrolsvik, Head of Scheduling

Information courtesy of C21 Media Primetime Strategies 2010/2011

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