Norway to broadcast 100 hours of chess
Richard Orange - [email protected]
Published: 4 Nov, 2013 CET.
Updated: Mon 4 Nov 2013 12:40 CET
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. "To broadcast so many hours of chess is a version of the new form of slow TV," he said.
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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.
"To broadcast so many hours of chess is a version of the new form of slow TV," he said.
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