Creativity in television across
the Nordic region
The WIT / November 2009
© 2009 www.thewit.com
For most people outside Nordic regions,
what’s Nordic TV ?
“Oh, it’s where the whole reality TV story began with
Expedition Robinson back in 1997 when Strix and SVT
produced this British paper format called Survivor in
Sweden !”
Then :
1998: Denmark
1999: Norway
2000: USA
And the rest of the world, with Finland in 2004.
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Why did reality TV start here ?
 As a “low cost tv”, it was adapted to the Nordic
markets with small budgets.
 It meant that Nordic broadcasters and producers
were:
• Open to new contents and ready to take risks
with bold ideas
• Able to export their know how
• Perceived as valuable test markets
© 2009 www.thewit.com
In 2009, the Nordic countries are still the Eldorado
of Robinson:
Nordic region is the place where Robinson is the
most successful, the most “eventful”.
© 2009 www.thewit.com
What are the other typically Nordic TV shows that
can show a Nordic TV personality or establish a
difference?
Which international shows are more successful in
Nordic countries than in the rest of the world?
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Singing:
 Eurovision song contest: over 70% share for the final in
Sweden, Denmark, Norway.
Melodifestivalen and Melodi Grand Prix are also perceived
as typical Nordic TV events seldom imitated elsewhere.
 The Irish format The Lyrics Board is nowhere as successful as
in Nordic Countries: Beat for Beat on NRK in Norway, and
long running careers in Sweden.
 Doobidoo created by SVT, exported to Poland.

Sing A long created in Sweden in 2006, exported to Poland,
maybe a precursor of the international trend for Karaoke
shows (The Singing Bee).
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Dating:
 The Nordic Market is among the pioneering and most
successful markets for The Farmer wants a wife (a
British format that never made it in the UK): created in
1999 in the UK, adopted by Norway in 2004, (second
after Belgium)
 Recently TV2 in Denmark was the first market to
commission a dating show created by FremantleMedia
in France “Take me out” then it spread in Australia,
Spain, Japan…
© 2009 www.thewit.com
News-themed comedy games:
 Nytt pa Nytt (Have I got news for you): spectacular
success in Norway, the biggest market in the world for
this format.
Also adapted in Sweden on SVT1, in Finland on TV1
with long-running careers, and in Denmark on TV2.
 If I ruled the world (British format) found in the Nordic
Countries its best market in the world: Parlamentet in
TV4 Sweden, Denmark on TV3… and Norway on NRK1.
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Obviously Typically Nordic:
The adventure show 71°Nord from TV Norge in Norway
exported to a few countries, including the USA…
But never as successful as in Norway where it’s still on air
after 10 years.
Maybe typically Norwegian? (it was not such a success in
Denmark or Sweden...)
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Typically Nordic: The Nordic Factor
A region where huge TV hits can still be found.
Nordic markets follow the worldwide phenomenon of
audience fragmentation with leading broadcasters between a
20% and a 30% share.
However, some shows can pull spectacular market shares
that can’t be found anywhere else any longer : between a
40% and a 60% share, for typical Nordic shows:
 Pa Sparet in Sweden
 Doobidoo in Sweden
 Forbrydelsen II in Denmark
 Beat for Beat in Norway
© 2009 www.thewit.com
The Nordic Flavor of the Year
Over the recent years, Nordic content and production
abilities showed a high value appeal:
 Zodiak was acquired by De Agostini (Italy) in 2008 and
structured in an international production group in
2009.
 Metronome was acquired by Shine (UK)
 Nordisk was acquired by Banijay (France)
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Typically Nordic: Nordic programming schedules
 More imports
 More Factual
 Less Scripted
© 2009 www.thewit.com
More Imports:
Nordic channels air more acquired fiction and reality shows in
primetime:
 Nordic PSBs : 20% of their primetime grids v. less than
10% on BBC One (UK) and Ned 1 (NL)
 Commercial channels: TV Norge, TV3 Dk , TV3Se and
MTV3 Finland have imported more than 50% of their fall
2009 grids.
© 2009 www.thewit.com
More Imports:
Local productions of imported formats :
 Around 15% to 20% of the Nordic
programming consists of imported formats
primetime
With differences between PSBs and commercial channels:
 TV4 Sweden, TV3 Denmark or TV2 Norway are the biggest
importers (around 33% of the primetime grid).
 The Finnish YLE imports only 5% of formats, being still at a
higher level than BBC One in the UK or France 2 in France,
(importing this fall approx. 0% of their primetime grid).
 Some Nordic PSBs don’t hesitate to air shows originating
from commercial channels in the rest of the world: Got
Talent on DR1 or Ticket to the Tribes on SVT1.
© 2009 www.thewit.com
More Factual/Less local fiction shows:
 On the Nordic PSBs: 30% more factual programming
(documentaries, magazines) than on France 2 (France) or
Ned 1 (NL)
 The Nordic commercial channels would concentrate on
factual entertainment, in the BBC One genre.
And this factual programming includes imported factual
shows (from other Nordic countries, the UK or the USA)
This leaves less space for local fiction whereas most leading
channels around the world would offer approx. 3 nights of local
fiction per week.
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Local fiction:
However, Nordic fiction can be considered as a whole thanks to
the exchanges between Nordic countries :
 SVT1 airs Swedish, Norwegian and Danish fictions in
primetime: The Protectors (DR), Himmelbla (NRK)
 NRK1: Livet I Fagervik (Sweden) or Forbrydelsen
(Denmark)
But the main difference lies in the absence of the daily soap in
daytime or access primetime. The only one is Hotel Caesar, on
TV2, Norway.
Long running daily soaps are sometimes replaced by docusoaps: Hospital in Denmark, Norway and Sweden on TV3.
© 2009 www.thewit.com
Nordic fiction to the world: the German connection
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Wallander: exported to Germany, adapted in the UK
Irene Huss: aired in Germany (Psb ARD)
Anna Pihl: Germany (Psb ZDF)
The Protectors: Germany (Psb ZDF)
Happiness 2009: project in Belgium
© 2009 www.thewit.com
The Nordic signature to the world: Adventure/Reality
shows
 After Expedition Robinson, Strix gave other shows to the
world: The Farm, The Bar, Harem…
© 2009 www.thewit.com
The Nordic signature to the world
Most exported formats come from commercial channels.
They often build a multi track record through a network of
producers or broadcasters, before moving to the rest of the
world :
 Pan Scandinavian shows: Hitmakers (TV Norge, Kanal 5 Se)
 Nordic networks (Viasat): The Luxury Trap (TV3 Dk, Se,
No); The Hospital (TV3 Dk, Se, No);
 Elixir, from Finland MTV3 to Sweden TV4 to Norway NRK1
 Single Moms, (Swedish idea from Friday TV): from Finland
Nelonen to Sweden TV3, Norway TV3, Denmark TV3 to
the rest of the world (USA, France…)
What’s next ?
© 2009 www.thewit.com
A pick of the most innovative
and successful Nordic formats
launched/adapted in 2009
© 2009 www.thewit.com
CLASS OF 07 (Sweden)
A graduating high-school class is transformed from being the
worst-performing class in the nation to becoming the best in just
one semester.
Launched on 12 February 2008 on SVT1
Adaptations:
2009: Germany (SAT.1)
Later: Norway (NRK1); Finland (YLE TV2); Belgium (Eén)
Distribution : Strix
© 2009 www.thewit.com
CLASS OF 07 (Sweden)
MY BIG FAT PARENTS (DK)
Children sign their overweight parents up for a program against
excess kilos. Five pairs of parents compete. The winners will put
money into their children’s savings accounts – the equivalent of
the kilos lost.
Launched in Denmark on TV3 on 9 September 2009
Optionned in 15 territories.
Distribution : Nordisk Film (Banijay)
© 2009 www.thewit.com
MY BIG FAT PARENTS (Denmark)
CONSTRUCTION NIGHTMARES (Denmark)
Makeover show that rescues people that have had bad
experiences in their homes with lazy and incompetent builders.
Launched in Denmark on TV2 in November 2008
Adaptations:
2009: Norway (TV3); Sweden
Distribution : Nordisk Film (Banijay)
© 2009 www.thewit.com
CONSTRUCTION NIGHTMARES (Denmark)
THE HAPPINESS PROJECT (Finland)
5 people with different pasts, all unsatisfied with their lives, try
to be happier by using different methods with the help of two
coaches. At the beginning of the show, they take a happiness
test. 6 months later, they retake the test. Are they happier ?
Launched on YLE TV1 on 10 September 2009
Options : Netherlands
Distribution : Storyhouse
© 2009 www.thewit.com
THE HAPPINESS PROJECT (Finland)
CLASH OF THE CHOIRS (Swedish concept)
Celebrity singers as they search in their home town for the talent
needed to assemble the country’s best choir. Viewers vote for
the best.
Launched in December 2007 on NBC in the USA
Adaptations:
2008: Sweden (TV4); Denmark (TV2)
2009: Spain (Cuatro); Finland (Nelonen); Norway (TV2); Chile (TVN)
Distributor : Friday TV (Metronome / Shine Group)
© 2009 www.thewit.com
CLASH OF THE CHOIRS
PERFECT TEN
(Swedish concept : Take the Money and run)
A contestant is challenged to complete 10 tasks for a cash prize,
while risk assessors offer them walk-away cash if they look like
they might win the grand prize.
In development for NBC in the USA.
Distributor : Friday TV (Metronome / Shine Group)
© 2009 www.thewit.com
BIG IN JAPAN (Danish concept)
Westerners compete in Japanese game shows, while living
together in a Tokyo apartment and learning about Japanese
culture.
Launched in the USA on ABC on 24 June 2008
Adaptations:
2009: Grece (Alpha); Norway (TV3); Sweden (TV4)
Later: Italy (Italia Uno); Spain (La Sexta)
Distribution : Small World IFT / A Babyfoot concept
© 2009 www.thewit.com
BIG IN JAPAN (Denmark)
TWIST AND SHOUT (Swedish concept)
Contestants have to sing their best for 2 minutes without
stopping - in extreme conditions. 8 different acts (with specific
profiles) go head to head in 4 duels. A jury and the studio
audience vote for the winner.
Adaptations:
2009 : India, Indonesia, The Philippines, Australia, France,
Romania, Germany…
Distribution : Zodiak Entertainment
© 2009 www.thewit.com
TWIST & SHOUT (Sweden)
CULTURE SHOCK (Norway)
10 Americans of Norwegian origin are dropped into Norway to
complete a series of extreme cultural challenges to find out how
Norwegian they are. Contestants are eliminated one by one.
Vignettes, both historical and modern, establish the connection
between Norway and America, and the contestants’ ancestry.
The winner gets a cash prize and is entitled to a family reunion
with their long-lost relatives in Norway.
Will launch on TV Norge in March 2010
Distribution : SevenOne International
© 2009 www.thewit.com
CULTURE SHOCK (Norway)
Research on creativity in television across
the Nordic region
The WIT / November 2009
© 2009 www.thewit.com