:: Eurovision 24 :: Oslo 2010

The Eurovision Song Contest rules are being changed from next year with a specific banning for living animals on stage. This is the European Broadcasting Union answer to all those acts intending to take part in the national finals together with their "pets". The Eurovision Song Contest is more than a mere musical competition: year by year, the Eurovision stage implements more and more elements in order to offer a complete and innovative show. To date, no-one has attempted to bring live animals on stage as part of their performance.

Yes, its true, according to reports in the Sunday Independent Newspaper in Ireland this morning, a local Sinn Fein TD, is now campaigning to have Palestine allowed into the Eurovision Song Contest. As if Ireland wasn’t finding it difficult enough in the Eurovision Song Contest, music loving Aengus O’ Snodaigh wants to make it harder. O’ Snodaigh has even asked the minister for foreign affairs parliamentary questions on what steps he is taking to help the Palestinians to join the contest. Is Palestine even an Active Member of the Eurovision Broadcasting Union? The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs said “I have no objection on foreign policy grounds to Palestinian participation in any international event” He continued saying “But as Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have no role in relation to the Eurovision Song Contest”. [News Source: Sunday Independent Ireland]

Although earlier this month the Azerbaijan Public Television (iTV) proceeded with the national selection to decide the country's first representative in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest it was not until Monday, the EBU made their final decision as to whether they would be allowed to take part at all, according to Azerbaijani media. Today, Ismayil Omarov, head director of iTV received the official letter which makes possible the participation of the country in the 2008 Eurovision Song Conest to be held in Belgrade.

The Eurovision Song Contest format for 2008 will change to a two semi final system. At a meeting of the TV Committee of the European Broadcasting Union in Verona today, it was decided to approve the proposal of hosting two Semi-Finals for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. The proposal was put together by the Reference Group of the contest. Only the Host Country, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom are automatically qualified for the Final. All other participants will participate in one of two Semi-Finals. Executive supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Svante Stockselius told eurovision.tv: "We are convinced that the introduction of a second Semi-Final contributes to a more stable future for the Eurovision Song Contest...We carefully listened to the suggestions of Members and fans and we took notice of the critical remarks in the press. After evaluating several scenarios, it was decided to introduce a second Semi-Final already in 2008. This increases the fairness o...

I never knew this actually existed. This is during the break in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000. This was shown as many TV stations went to an advert break. This is taken from BBC TV. Is BBC the only TV station that doesn't take a break?

Today at 14.00 in a ceremony held at the Belgrade Town Hall the first ever Eurovision Host City Exchange took place. Lord Mayor of Helsinki Mr Jussi Pajunen, handed over a symbolic key ring to the Deputy of the Lord of Belgrade Ms Radmila Hrustanovic. "Now, that I have met the great people in Belgrade and saw your beautiful city, I am sure that the next Eurovision Song Contest will be one to remember", said Mayor Pajunen during the ceremony. [ESC Today]

Jussi VÄÄNÄNEN & Katja KOUKKULA from Finland won the first ever Eurovision Dance Contest in London, United Kingdom last night. The couple beat 15 other countries to win the inaugural Eurovision Dance Contest. Finland only recently won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006 and hosted the contest in Helsinki this year. Participating Countries were: Austria (ORF), Denmark (DR), Finland (YLE), Germany (ARD/WDR), Greece (ERT, did not broadcast the show), Ireland (RTE), Lithuania (LRT), The Netherlands (NPB/TROS), Poland (TVP), Portugal (RTP), Russia (RTR), Spain (TVE), Sweden (TV4), Switzerland (SRG-SSR), Ukraine (NTU), and The United Kingdom (BBC). The show was hosted by Graham Norton and Claudia Winkleman. The BBC will broadcast the show in 2008. The show received mixed reaction with many saying that the BBC produced a cheap and rushed show and others saying that Graham Norton, the co-host was rude to spokepersons from Lithuania and Switzerland. Video of the winning proformance from Fi...

Following Ireland's worst ever Eurovision result in Helsinki in May, media attention was predictably negative, with both RTÉ's decision to selection Irish traditional band Dervish, and neighbourly voting by Eastern European countries gaining most column inches and airtime. Indeed in the aftermath of the result, Ireland's future participation in the Eurovision Song Contest was questioned by many journalists and fans, but it now appears that the competition's most successful country will be back in 2008, but the selection process may be different from the past couple of years. Among those most loudly critical of RTÉ was Louis Walsh (left), former manager of Eurovision winners Johnny Logan and Linda Martin who appears to believe that the national bradcaster needs to invest more money in the Eurovision selection, and believes that the recent choices have been old fashioned and outdated. How much coinsideration will be given to Walsh's opinion is unclear, but early rumou...

I prefer the Original song myself, there is something missing in the English version.

Spanish broadcaster TVE has announced that it will be sticking by the Eurovision Song Contest despite changes to the format of the contest which are "not always positive". In the announcement - a reply to the Spanish member of parliament Macarena Montesinos' suggestion that the corporation withdraw from entering the contest - TVE states that it will not abandon an event which still draws in a global audience in excess of 100 million viewers across not only Europe, but the World; as such the broadcaster recognises its "obvious value as a public service: music and the peaceful discovery of other nations". Changes not always positiveDespite this, TVE also raised issues about recent changes such as televoting, which are "not always positive in choosing the best song". Despite developments such as the introduction of the semifinal in 2004 reflecting "the new reality in Europe", the EBU admits that the format undergoes a constant process of tweakin...

Björn Verdoodt, press representative of Flemish broadcaster VRT, has reacted to the criticism and cynical reactions the broadcaster received after stating that Eurosong 2008 will be "a contest of state importance", just like in 2006. According to Verdoodt, Belgium most definitely means business, and the term "state importance" still applies. Since last week, Eén has been airing a trailer encouraging Flemish artists and songwriters to submit their songs for the Belgian selections for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. In the trailer, Eurosong host Bart Peeters used the term "a contest of state importance" to refer to the event. After the Kate Ryan disaster in 2006 when Je t'adore, a hot favourite, just failed to make the top ten of the semifinal, the statement raised the same cynicism that it did when it was used back then. "The term state importance still applies," explains Björn Verdoodt in the Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. "No m...

Monaco, the smallest Eurovision Song Contest nation, skipped the 2007 event in Helsinki due to a feeling that Monaco was at a disadvantage when compared to other nations, due to its size. However, a return in Belgrade is not entirely out of the question, as Télé Monte-Carlo have confirmed that the decision has not been taken yet. Monaco returned to the contest in 2004 after a 25-year break, but they failed to end outside the bottom 5 in the semi final with any of their 3 entries this decade. However, a change in the fortunes of Andorra which saw Anonymous reach the 12th position in Helsinki, only a few points away from qualification, may be a positive signal to the Monégasque broadcaster. Monaco won the competition in 1971 with Séverin's Un banc, un arbre, une rue, but another Séverine, Ferrer this time, could only manage 14 points and 21st place in the semi final in Athens after a rather tuneless performance of La coco danse. Austria also skipped a year before returning in 2007, m...

“ RTS is giving Eurovision fans the chance to design the 2008 logo, the stage and also host the Eurovision Song Contest.” RTS (Radiotelevizija Srbije), the host broadcaster for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade has announced that it will be running a competition that will lead to the creation of the next Eurovision Song Contest's branding and logo, the stage, and most surprisingly, the hosts of the event. NEW LOGO This will graph and symbolisethe pictorial identity of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. It should associate with Serbia, music, youth and Europe. It will also provide the graphic symbol for medias, press and the competition's identity.Bidding is opened for 30 days and it is opened for all native and foreign persons. Bidding is anonymus. Prizes will be arwarded for the top three designs of €5000, €3000 and €2000 respectively. THE STAGE A competition to determine the ideal solution for stage for next year's Eurovision Song Contest at the Beogradska Arena...

The EBU has announced that during the Debriefing Meeting of the Reference Group earlier this summer it was proposed and discussed that the two semi final format could be ntroduced in 2008 and not in 2009 as originally discussed at the HoD meeting in Helsinki last March. The proposal includes that all participating countries apart from the winner and the Big Four will have to go through the two semi finals starting from the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. This means that the result of the 2007 contest will not influence the 2008 contest. The final decision though will be taken by the TV committee during its scheduled meeting in Verona, Italy on September 28. The Reference Group intends to propose this format after receiving feedback from the participating members. The 2008 contest will be held in the Belgrade Arena (Beogradska Arena) and it will seat about 14.000 fans. MORE INFORMATION: http://admin.esctoday.com/news/read/9027 Source: ESC Today

Amen-Ra of the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 winners group Lordi performs in Auburn, Wash, USA kicking off Ozzfest 2007 on July, 12. (AP/Andrei Pungovschi)

Although more famous for its Formula 1 grand prix race track, San Marino is one of the last European countries never to have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. However, it seems that this could change in the next few years - Sammarinese broadcaster SMRTV has confirmed to esctoday.com that they are watching the Eurovision project with a possible participation in mind. SMRTV considered joining in 2007, but its stockholders, many of whom are related to Italian broadcaster RAI, decided not to support the idea. Whether they will have changed their minds in a year seems unlikely, but SMRTV is aiming to participate at some point over the next few years, according to a spokesperson for the broadcaster. San Marino is a tiny country surrounded entirely by Italy, and is often reported as being the world's oldest republic. Success for microstates has happened in the past - Monaco won in 1971, for example, and Malta has had 4 top 3 placings to date, the most recent coming in 2005 when...

Svante Stockselius, the executive supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, visited Belgrade to meet with RTS officials with regards to the preparations for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest that will be held in the Serbian capital. Svante visited Belgrade to meet with RTS officials and inspect the possible venues for the contest. He visited the Belgrade Arena, home of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, the Sava Centar (where Serbian national finals are held) and the Expo Center, likely to host the Press Center and the Fan Center respectively in 2008. Mr Stockselius stated that he is satisfied with the size of the Arena "It is the perfect size, not to large, not too small, we need a certain amount of intimacy", he said. He also said that he is satisfied with the way preparations have begun. "Serbia is on the right track" Svante told the press " you have a good team of people working on the project. But there is a lot of work to be done until May". [ESC Toda...

After we mentioned yesterday the uncertainty over continued Czech participation, the Czech broadcaster, CT, wrote on its site eurosong.cz that the Czech Republic will be present at the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, despite a last place on their debut in the 2007 semi final. The Czech Republic will send its second entry to the Contest in 2008, where they will have to start in the semi again due to a non-qualification this year with Kabát, one of the country's top bands. Whether Kabát's 1 point will put off other famous Czech artists for next year remains to be seen. As yet, there is no news over how the Czech entry will be chosen for 2008.

Many rumours have been circulating on the Internet about the possible withdrawal of several countries for 2008, one of the most popular ones being Malta. However, the Maltese broadcaster has confirmed today that Malta will be present in Belgrade, despite having to start in the semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest for the second consecutive year. Estonia, who have so far failed to qualify on every single occasion since the semi final was introduced, will also be playing in Belgrade, although ETV are considering their options for Eurolaul, the national final. Montenegro, who failed to qualify in 2007 on their first attempt as an independent state, have also confirmed their presence in Serbia. The continued participation of the Czech Republic, however, is more of a confusing matter. After coming last with only one point on their first ever participation, with one of the country's most successful bands, it is as yet unknown whether Czech broadcaster CT will be willing to finance a...

The charm free zone that is Eurovision winner Marija Serifovic has upset the Finnish press by having a pop at her Helsinki hosts. a recent ill-judged press conference, the singer whined about the food during her stay in the country, claiming she survived on biscuits and fruit. Closet hopping Marija went on to say that she hated her time in Helsinki surrounded by blondes and people with what she called 'transparent skin'. It repulsed her physically she added. was however grateful for the twelve points awarded her Balkan production line ballad 'Molvita'. Journalists sat open-mouthed at her tirade which she later tried to pass off as an attempt at a joke.