A major investment in Astrid Lindgren will become SVT’s new Christmas tradition.
But Donald Duck will stay on Christmas Eve, promises SVT’s program director Eva Beckman.
– I have absolutely no intention of removing that, she tells TT.
Donald Duck has been Swedish television’s great Christmas tradition since 1960. Since the mid-70s, the animated cavalcade has been broadcast at 3 p.m. This year, the program is joined in tableaux by a newly produced animated cavalcade of Astrid Lindgren stories.
“Christmas with Astrid Lindgren” will be broadcast on Christmas Eve morning at 09:00, with a repeat at 14:00 directly before Donald Duck.
The idea is for it to become a tradition.
– At SVT, it is very much the audience that decides, but we hope that it can become a future Christmas classic, says Eva Beckman.
Donald Duck remains as usual
You might think that SVT, with its new Christmas tradition, wants to phase out Donald Duck after almost 65 years, but that is not the case according to Eva Beckman.
– Donald Duck on Christmas Eve will remain. As long as we can. I have no intention whatsoever of removing that. This is just an addition.
The tradition of Donald Duck as a highlight on Christmas Eve comes from a time when it was rare to see American cartoons from Disney in color on Swedish television. That is not the case today.
TT: So why do you keep broadcasting Donald Duck on Christmas Eve?
– Yes, if you have a certain platform, you can see it every day 365 days a year, but it’s a tradition in so many Swedish homes, so I don’t want us to remove it.
The trend in the television world is moving away from “linear television”, where everyone watches together when the programs are broadcast on television. Instead, more and more people look at their own screen when they want to watch themselves. But especially around Christmas, many gather together. SVT notices that.
– The fact is that linear TV rises at ten precisely at Christmas. It’s terribly difficult to get a family to gather on the sofa, but especially at Christmas it seems that many people like to watch together.