They say it is the sweetest and cutest show broadcast on the Internet. And they are probably not wrong. Because watching four kittens live in a giant dollhouse is adorable and heartwarming. That is what «Keeping Up With the Catdashian» presents to us.
The four ARISTOCATS starring in the show are siblings and are affectionately called the Catdashians. They are also orphans. The show's mission is precisely to find them a new home. To that end, viewers are given the opportunity to see what the cats are like and how they behave, minute by minute. The aim is to melt their hearts and encourage someone to adopt them. The process lasts between three and four weeks. When a family is found for them, new residents arrive at the dollhouse.
«Keeping Up With the Catdashians» is a project involving the Icelandic cat protection society, the Icelandic veterinary authorities, and the animal welfare office. Employees and volunteers from the Icelandic cat protection society care for the kittens and carry out the house's maintenance tasks (cleaning, supplying food and water…). This happens two or three times a day, during which the broadcast is suspended.
The cats' personalities, their actions, and their special relationship have made this show a genuine success. During the first 24 hours of broadcasting, the show was shared more than 3,000 times. Considering that Iceland's population is 300,000… that's not bad at all. Add to that the buzz the show is generating on social media thanks to its fans… and it is clear that this is a success. But most importantly, it is an example of innovation in promoting animal adoption.
Three GoPros are used to film the Catdashians, broadcasting 24/7. At night, cameras with night vision are used, allowing viewers to watch the kittens dozing and purring.
But since a picture (or in this case, a video) is worth a thousand words, we invite you to meet the Catdashians for yourselves.
As you can see, the content being broadcast is highly hypnotic for all of us who love ARISTOCATS. But that's the nature of «Sakte-TV», or slow television: it draws you in. And our Nordic friends know it well.
In fact, it is an invention of Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK), Norway's public broadcaster, conceived in 2009. An audiovisual concept in which almost nothing ever happens. And that is what makes it innovative and appealing —especially in these accelerated and frenetic times. Content broadcast for hours and hours is anti-television.
Eighteen consecutive hours of salmon fishing. Or 134 uninterrupted hours of a boat journey along the coast from north to south. The tides, tree felling, or the making of a wool sweater. Reading the Constitution or psalms performed by choirs from across the country. These are some examples of programming that, against all expectations, is a ratings success.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQChHitzzso
Their similarity to a marathon of documentaries and an uninterrupted timeline in which nothing is edited and everything is broadcast live… does the rest. Although you never know what might happen, the most likely outcome is that nothing will happen. The viewer, for their part, watches it like any other show or like a landscape painting in their living room. The story unfolds in their head, in their imagination. And that is where the magic lies.
We trust that, in the minds of the Icelanders who have met the Catdashians, a near future of feline happiness is taking shape, in a real home where they feel loved and, if possible, remain together, because it is obvious that these four kittens share very powerful bonds. We hope they find a new home very soon!