SVT’s show about the moose spring migration is now gaining attention from international media – who are fascinated by Swedes’ unexpected love for the tranquil forest drama.
For the seventh year in a row, the taxpayer-funded SVT is live-streaming Den stora älgvandringen (The Great Moose Migration), which follows the moose’s spring journey in Kullberg, Ångermanland. Over 20 days, viewers can follow the moose as they trek through the forest and swim across the Ångerman River. The program began airing on April 14 this year, slightly earlier than planned, as the moose simply began their migration in line with the early spring.
Now the program has gained international acclaim, but not around the moose themselves – but the Swedes’ love of watching the often uneventful live broadcasts. Sky News, NBC and the news agency AP all have headlines about how Swedes love watching the moose.
“It’s a 20-day slow TV event that’s become a phenomenon, and its fans say the lack of action is one of the attractions”, writes Sky News.
Millions of viewers
Ulla Malmgren, 62, explains how she loads up on coffee and ready-made food in advance so as not to miss a moment of the program.
– Sleep? Forget it. I don’t sleep, she says in an interview with NBC.
When the program first aired, nearly a million people watched all or part of it. Last year, the program was started a total of nine million times on SVT Play.
Facts: Den stora älgvandringen
It is a live, uncommented nature program from SVT where cameras are placed around Kullberg near Junsele in Ångermanland, where, among other things, moose and reindeer wander and forage. Most of the cameras are remotely controlled so that larger parts of the area can be covered. The highlight is when the moose swim across the Ångerman River.
