:: Eurovision 24 :: Oslo 2010

The list was confirmed by the EBU earlier today, and means that any countries that withdraw from here on in will face a fine. Absentees from last year are Montenegro, Hungary, Andorra, and the Czech Republic. Georgia returns to the contest after being disqualified over their attempted 2009-entry “We don’t wanna put in”. From the total of 39, the “Big-4″ (France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom) are directly qualified to the final, although with hosts Norway. That leaves 34 countries to contest two semifinals; seventeen in each, from which ten will qualify. The Eurovision final will run with 25 entries despite fewer participants this year. The full list of participating countries & broadcasters is as follows: Albania (RTVSH) Armenia (AMPTV) Azerbaijan (Ictimai TV) Belarus (BTRC) Belgium (VRT) Bosnia & Herzegovina (BHRT) Bulgaria (BNT) Croatia (HRT) Cyprus (CyBC) Denmark (DR) Estonia (ERR) Finland (YLE) France (FT3) FYR Macedonia (MKRTV) Georgia (GEGT) Germany (NDR/ARD) Gr

The 2010 Eurovision Song Contest already has a theme art and a slogan: Share the moment. The theme depicts a series of spheres representing people gathering together to enjoy a unique moment that is followed by more than 100 million viewers across the continent and beyond. The theme and slogan have been revealed today at a press conference held in Oslo, the host city for the next Eurovision Song Contest. EBU and host broadcaster NRK main officials were present to inform the press on the latest identity adopted by the Eurovision Song Contest. Svante Stockselius, executive supervisor of the contest on behalf of the EBU, praised NRK's capability to carry out the Eurovision preparations speedily and successfully: "I never saw a host broadcaster being this well prepared at this time of the year", Stockselius stated. "We want to share the Eurovision Song Contest, rather than just broadcast it", Hasse Lindmo, TV-producer of the contest for NRK explained. "One par

ESC Today reports that Montenegro is the latest country to announce its withdrawal from the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. The state television of the republic, RTCG, have claimed financial reasons for this decision. Montenegro will miss the 2010 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. According to their national broadcaster, in a brief announcement, the decision has been taken in order to reach financial consolidation after three years as an independent state. -

Esctoday.com reports... Peter Kölbel of Liechtenstein's broadcaster 1FL has stated that the country will not make its debut at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. The station is said not to aim for EBU membership in December, when the admission window will open. Liechtenstein has been strongly rumoured to take part next year in the Eurovision Song Contest owing to the broadcaster 1FL's intention to become a full member of the European Broadcasting Union. Now it seems that the station has decided to postpone these plans due to financial reasons, so that the principality will not make its debut until 2011 at the earliest. Now, the broadcaster will look into all the possible options to fund the costs of the EBU membership, after ruling out an application in December.

Finally, and after strong indications that Estonia would be very likely to withdraw from the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest due to financial reasons, the country's broadcaster ERR has confirmed that Estonia will be in Oslo next year esctoday.com reports. This is thanks to a 1.5 million EEK (around 95,900 euro) loan from the foundation Enterprise Estonia (EAS), while the broadcaster will cover up to 300,000 EEK (19,170 euro) of the costs of the national selection process. -

The Irish broadcaster RTÉ has confirmed to esctoday.com that it will particpate in the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest in 2010. Speculation had arisen that RTÉ may withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 given the current economic financial climate in Ireland as too other countries. With numerous countries' broadcasters having withdrawn or facing a consideration to withdraw due to financial strain, esctoday.com contacted RTÉ for an update. RTÉ have confirmed to esctoday.com that, this week that it has just submitted its' application to the EBU for its participation in next May's contest to be held in Oslo, Norway. With regarding a format for selecting a song, RTÉ are looking at a set of possible options and hope to reach a final decision shortly. SOURCE: ESC TODAY -

ESC TODAY REPORTS The Reference Group of the Eurovision Song Contest, the governing body of the competition, have announced moments ago that the 2010 contest will see an important novelty: viewers will be able to cast their votes from the performance of the first song. Once more, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest proves to be a testing ground for the senior competition. This change will be introduced to both the semifinals and the grand final. Phone lines will remain open from the performance of the first entry until 15 minutes after the end of the last song. This means that televoting via phone call and SMS will be enabled for nearly one or two hours depending on the show. Some reasons are argued from the EBU to support this change. The total amount of votes cast throughout the three shows will be higher and will not arrive in a bulk in just 15 minutes between the last song is performed and the results start to be announced. It is also intended to prevent telephone companies from get

ESC TODAY REPORTS. Hungarian public broadcaster, MTV, have announced that Hungary will not participate at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Oslo. Budget limitations are said to be the reason for this decision. Hungarian broadcaster explained that financial difficulties are behind the country's withdrawal from the competition next year. MTV’s budget is expected be cut down by more than fifty percent in 2010, therefore the company's management has already taken several radical steps, for instance, they have reduced their programs, and fired many of their employees. Hungary was represented by Ádok Zoli this year in Moscow with the song Dance with me, not reaching the final stage of the competition. -

The Eurovision Song Contest's Reference Group of the EBU (the governing body of the contest) has decided that the professional jury in each country will not just decide on 50% of the votes in the Final, but also in the two Semifinal's, in next year's contest in Oslo, Norway. Last year, EBU members, journalists and fans, saw the introduction of the juries to the final in a positive way. The Reference Group, who meets four to five times a year, developes the future format of the Contest. They decided to introduce the juries in the Semifinals too, and not just in the final: The juries will decide upon 50% of the Semifinal votes and the televotes and SMS-votes will make up the other 50%. The top ten countries in the combined results, will qualify to the final, where they will meet the Big 4 countries (Spain, United Kingdom, France and Germany) and this year's host, Norway. The two semifinals will be held in Telenor Arena in Oslo, the capital city of Norway, on 25 (Semifinal

Despite rumours on Eurolaul and grand national final, the CEO of the Estonian state television told the local press today that the broadcaster is considering the option of withdrawal from the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. It seems that according to Margus Allikmaa (ERR) the problem is not only the cost of participation and national selection but also a potential victory in Oslo. The hosting cost is something that the broadcaster cannot handle in case Estonia wins in Norway, seems to have said in the ELU24.ee site. The broadcaster needs to save 7% of its budget and a year of absence will not hard the popularity of the contest in Estonia Mr Allikmaa says. Eurolaul might take place at the end but the winner is not entering for sure in the row for Oslo. The broadcaster needs at least 224,000 Euros to enter the 2010 Eurovision edition but ERR has made no final decision whether participating or not in Oslo. Source: Oikotimes.com -

The Norwegian broadcaster hosting the 2010 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest has adjusted their original estimate on how much the arrangement is going to cost. The revised sum is now estimated at 211 million Norwegian kroner (ca. €24 mill.), when the original sum quoted was closer to 150 million (€17 mill.) that NRK say it cost YLE to host the contest in Helsinki in Finland in 2007. Last year's contest in Moscow cost reportedly $40 mill. (ca €27 mill.) More from ESC Today -

Liechtenstein's only television broadcaster 1FLTV has launched an apply of admission to the EBU. Being a member of the European Broadcasting Union is obligatory to be allowed to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest. The country is ready to have its debut in the competition in the near future. 1FLTV director Peter Kölbel has stated that the negotiations with the EBU are progressing. He also revealed that it might be possible for Liechtenstein to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010 already. However, this would demand a change of the regulations: the membership will not be confirmed before December although the number of participating countries in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest has to be definite in November. Kölbel stated that the EBU is therefore considering a change of the regulations, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Source: ESC Today -

During his recent visit to Belarus, Bjorn Erichsen, Director Eurovision TV, told local press that ONT, the broadcaster announced to be taking over the country's Eurovision Song Contest participation from BTRC, do not have the right to do so as they are not officially members of the EBU yet. ONT have applied for membership but their application will be discussed in December whereas country subscriptions for the 2010 contest must be submitted by mid November at the latest. Under the circumstances, the Belarussian call for songs by ONT seems invalid. -

The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group that met in Oslo on 10th September did discuss Spain's breach of Eurovision Song Contest rules by broadcasting the semi final on a time delay, rendering a televote impossible. It has also concluded it's investigation into whether Azeri broadcaster Ictimai deliberately blocked or distorted the picture to blur out the voting number for Armenia. More from ESC Today

Daniel Jablonski, spokesman at the Polish national broadcaster, TVP, has confirmed that the country will participate at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in May in Oslo (Norway). The details regarding the procedure to select a singer and a song to represent Poland in Oslo have not been disclosed yet. They are due to be released in October. Source: ESC Today -

Although the jury has somewhat returned to the contest, it has not changed Austrias mind as it has now been officially confirmed that Austria will not return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010. ORF executive Wolfgang Lorenz stated that high costs are the reason considering that the contest has been "ruined by the regulations". -

It has been announced that the Telenor Group have officially become a Presenting Partner for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 to be held in Oslo in May next year. The Telenor Group is one of the leading mobile operators in the world and have been granted pan-european association, media and new media rights with the event to be held in Oslo next year. As a result of these sponsorship rights, the Telenor Group is entitled to produce and market the Official Eurovision Song Contest Mobile Phone across all its participating markets. -