Puppy livestream Pentulive draws millions as Finnish slow TV hit
Finland's public broadcaster Yle is drawing millions of viewers to Pentulive, a 24-hour puppy livestream following mother dog Hilkka and her six newborn Lagotto Romagnolo puppies. The show, in its sixth season, is part of the Nordic slow TV phenomenon.
Puppy livestream Pentulive draws millions as Finnish slow TV hit
What Pentulive offers viewers
Finnish broadcaster Yle has a 24-hour television show dedicated entirely to the live progress of a dog and her six newborn puppies - and it is drawing millions of viewers. Pentulive runs for eight weeks, following the litter from birth through weigh-ins and first nail trims.
The coverage goes well beyond a single camera feed:
- a 24-hour webcam on the puppies
- live evening chat sessions with the dogs' breeder
- a companion podcast
- an instant notification service for updates
In their first two weeks, this year's puppies have attracted millions of views online and on social media, and fans describe the show as a relaxing break that offers comfort from stress, loneliness and illness.
Roots in Nordic slow TV
This is the sixth season of the hit show, which belongs to the Nordic slow TV tradition. That trend started in Norway in 2009 with Bergensbanen, a seven-hour train journey broadcast on NRK. In Sweden, SVT aired Den stora älgvandringen (The Great Moose Migration), showing unnarrated footage of moose migrating north to summer grazing grounds. Pentulive is now travelling too: this year it is also being broadcast in Sweden under the name Valparna live, and Yle has sold the format to a broadcaster in the Netherlands.
Why viewers tune in
Science journalist Pirjo Koskinen came up with the concept with the aim of educating viewers about dog research and the importance of a dog's first weeks of life. She said the show provides 'relief from the terrible things happening in the world', explaining that wars, bombing, climate change and habitat loss make people anxious, while the canine family offers an escape.
There's a certain magic to it, something that people miss when this world is sometimes quite dark.
That is how Ville Alijoki, editorial manager of Yle's factual journalism, put it.
Koskinen described watching the mother and the breeder care for the puppies as 'a loop of love and caring', and said seeing eyes open and first clumsy steps brings joy and funny moments across the eight weeks.
Names and new homes
The puppies are Lagotto Romagnolos - four male and two female - and they will mark their two-week birthday on Saturday by being officially named after a vote by viewers. Nominations included Martha, Timo, Ronja and Dante.
The eight weeks conclude in mid-December, when the puppies will leave their mother, Hilkka, and be adopted by new families.
