:: Eurovision 24 :: Oslo 2010

Oikotimes.com has reported that despite their original decision that they will reply to the EBU on December 8th with a very positive mind towards their participation in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, sources have told the website that both Monaco and San Marino will be absent from Eurovision 2009. If this is true, the number of countries confirmed for 2009 will be 42. Of course this is not confirmed, although we will get a clearer view of participates on the 8th December.

Although we are not big fans of this "passing over" new tradition, it has been announced that on the 10th December the passing of the Eurovision ring will take place in Moscow. The mayor of Belgrade will travel to Moscow and during a special ceremony he will hand the keys of Eurovision to his counterpart. The passing over event was created in 2007 in Finland and involves the creation of a key for the host city which is then added to the current keys and kept at the host city for 12 months until the process is recreated once again. We always think here that once a country wins the contest, thats it! its been passed over straight away to the new host country. I loved it when things were so much easier!

This has totally nothing to do with Eurovision but I have to talk about it. Recession really has hit the Irish Broadcaster RTE big time. Pat Kenny (Eurovision Host 1988), hosts the popular Late Late Show every Friday. As the video shows below, they had competition winner who is rude and does not care about the prize, plus a group called "Satanic Sluts" which are supposed to be entertainment. RTE, you always amaze me! No wonder they will be no big Eurosong show next year.

RTE, the Irish National Broadcaster, is due to make an announcement around the end of the month on the selection details, with a National Final to be held, provisionally set for Friday 22nd February 2009. Due to the current financial crisis, the Irish broadcaster is experiencing a shortage of funding for large scale television projects. This means that the National Final in 2009 won't be as well budgeted as the Eurosong 2008 national selection show held in Limerick last February. esctoday.com reports that the 2009 show will be similar to that of the National Final held in 2006 & 2007 on RTÉ's most popular television light-entertainment programme, The Late Late Show. Brian Kennedy and Dervish were the representatives at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 and 2007 of whom sang Every Song is A Cry for Love and They Can't Stop the Spring respectively. Source: ESC Today.com NL

Georgia has won the sixth edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. The group Bzikebi took home the trophy with the song "Bzzz" getting 154 points, 19 more than the runner-up from Ukraine. THE RESULTS: 154 - Georgia 135 - Ukraine 103 - Lithuania 100 - Malta 093 - F.Y.R. Macedonia 086 - Belarus 073 - Russia 059 - Armenia 058 - Romania 046 - Cyprus 045 - Belgium 037 - Serbia 027 - The Netherlands 019 - Greece 015 - Bulgaria Full Scoreboard

Spanish broadcaster TVE will continue relying on the Myspace.com method to pick the country's entry for Eurovision 2009. Next year's selection process will be called Eurovision 2009: The return and will be presented on Monday 24th. From that date, entries can already be submitted to the broadcaster according to ESC Today. This is a surprise to me as they probably picked one of the worst songs in Spanish Eurovision history last year. Lets hope a better song will be picked next year. It is also rumoured that Irish Broadcaster RTE will choose the song for Eurovision by using My Space aswell. This however has not been confirmed yet by RTE.

It looks likely that Monaco, who last took part in the contest in 2006, is to make a return in 2009. It seems that talks with the EBU have led to TMC, the Monégasque broadcaster, to apply to take part in the 2009 competition, although they still have until the deadline to make their final decision. Changes to the voting system in which the jury now affects the results is thought to be the main reason for Monaco's return. Monaco last won the contest in 1971 in Dublin. If Monaco do return, the total number of countries taking part will be 44, a record breaking number of participates, despite Georgia's withdrawal and Austria's continued boycott. The final list of countries participating in Moscow is expected by the end of the year.

Hungarian national broadcaster MTV have confirmed to oikotimes.com that they will participate in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Rumours surrounding Hungary's participation and a possible withdrawal had sprung up following Csézy's disappointing result in Belgrade, but as it stands MTV will be present in Moscow. Information regarding the national final for the Hungarian selection are to be announced soon.

Found this on Russia Today . Do they know something we don't know?

The costs for preparing and holding Eurovision 2009 in Moscow will amount to over EUR29 million, Russia’s Vice Premier Alexander Zhukov announced . Zhukov heads the Organization Committee on Eurovision Preparation. The funds have been laid aside in the federal budget, Zhukov said. Moscow will inject some money in addition, the vice premier specified, reminding that the contest will be held May 9 through to May 16 in Olympiisky Sport Complex and Channel One will broadcast the event. Russia will spend over double the amount Finland paid in 2007 (€12.4 million) due to the fact they are hosting 3 shows. I cant find the figure for the 2008 Contest but will add it when I do find it.

It has been announced on the official of Dutch broadcaster NOS that Jeroen van der Boom will be the new Topper and take the place of Gerard Joling. Gerard Joling left the trio on 10th November and it was rumoured that NOS may need to find some other group to represent the country. Jeroen van der Boom was chosen to fill in his place. Gordon and Rene Froger seem thrilled with the addition of the particular new member: " Jeroen has an amazing voice and we're convinced that he will do a great job !" they stated.

It has been reported that Poland will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. There was doubt that Poland would not participate due to the Russian invasion in Georgia recently and also due to the fact that TVP will be the host broadcaster of the Eurovision Dance Contest 2009 in Warsaw after winning the contest in September in Glasgow. Since participating for the first time in 1994, this will be Poland's 14th time in the contest. They did not qualify for the contest in 2000 or 2002, but has participated in every contest since then.

Raiffeisen International Bank-Holding AG will continue its sponsorship of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 according to reports today. The deal negotiated was negotiated by the Eurovision Song Contest's marketing partner, T.E.A.M. The bank is a major financial player in Eastern Europe and the next Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Russia, one of the bank's most important markets. There was doubt as to whether the bank would sponsor the contest due to the current economic crisis, but the announcement comes as good news to the EBU. Director of Eurovision TV, Bjørn Erichsen, said: "The EBU is delighted to keep Raiffeisen International, a company with an excellent reputation and strong presence in many of the participating countries, in the Eurovision family as the first Presenting Sponsor of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. The renewal of this partnership proves the strength of the Eurovision Song Contest as Europe's biggest communication platform in m