Áramótaskaupið

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Áramótaskaupið (English: The New Year's comedy, or New Year's Eve's Ridicule), is an annual Icelandic television comedy special, broadcast on public television network Sjónvarpið which has been shown anually since Sjónvarpið started broadcasting in 1966. The show is an important part of Icelandic New Year's celebration for most Icelandic families. It focuses upon the recent year from a satirical standpoint, and shows little mercy towards its victims, especially politicians, artists, prominent businesspeople and activists. The show's ratings on Sjónvarpið, the national broadcaster, are almost among the highest in the world. In 2006 93.3% of the population watched the show. In 2002 the show set a record when acquiring 95,5% of Icelandic viewers. Páll Magnússon, CEO of RÚV, the national broadcasting service, stated in an interview[1] that this was most likely a record in the Western world. Due to high ratings the commercials during Skaupið are among the most expensive on Icelandic television. In 2007 it was decided to sell commercials during the middle of the show which stirred up a lot of controversy. The show ends a short time before midnight and those Icelanders who shoot up fireworks usually do so when Skaupið is over.