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144-685: JRT was one of the founding members of the European Broadcasting Union , and SFR Yugoslavia was the only socialist country among its founding members. Among other activities, JRT organized the Yugoslav national final for the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcast both events for the Yugoslav audience. Each television center created its own programming independently, and some of them operated several channels. The system dissolved during

288-459: A Europe-wide television game show. In its original conception, it was broadcast from 1965 to 1999 under the auspices of the EBU. The original series' run ended in 1982, but was revived in 1988 with a different composition of nations and was hosted by smaller broadcasters. Eurovision Young Musicians is a competition for European musicians that are between the ages of 12 and 21 years old. It is organised by

432-402: A Kremlin-sponsored initiative to take Ukrainian children from the war-torn country to Russia , a war crime under international law. As of June 2024 , the list of EBU members comprises the following 77 broadcasting companies from 56 countries. Any group or organisation from an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) member country, which provides a radio or television service outside of

576-455: A committee appointed by the broadcaster; and a mixed format where some decisions are made internally and the public are engaged in others. Among the most successful televised selection shows is Sweden's Melodifestivalen , first established in 1959 and now one of Sweden's most watched television shows each year. Each show typically begins with an opening act consisting of music and/or dance performances by invited artists, which contributes to

720-476: A comprehensive program in all radio stations (with nineteen regional, two world-range and five pan-Hellenic range radio stations) and three TV channels ERT1 , ERT2 and ERT3 . The Belarusian Television and Radio Company ( BTRC ) has been accused of repressing its own employees, having fired more than 100 people since a wave of anti-Lukashenko protests in 2020 following alleged election fraud. Many of them have also been jailed. Many voices have been raised against

864-399: A country with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) membership, which does not qualify for either the EBU's Active or Associate memberships, but still provide a broadcasting activity for the EBU, are granted a unique Approved Participants membership, which lasts approximately five years. An application for this status may be submitted to the EBU at any given time, providing an annual fee

1008-479: A different nationality or were born in a different country to that which they represented. No performer may compete for more than one country in a given year. There is no restriction regarding performers who have participated in past events competing again – whether for the same country or a different one. It is even possible for a winning performer to try and defend their title in the next edition, as happened when 2010 winner Lena competed again in 2011. However, in

1152-556: A duration of three minutes or less. This rule applies only to the version performed during the live shows. In order to be considered eligible, competing songs in a given year's contest must not have been released commercially before the first day of September of the previous year. All competing entries must include vocals and lyrics of some kind, a cappella songs and purely instrumental pieces are not allowed. Competing entries may be performed in any language, be that natural or constructed , and participating broadcasters are free to decide

1296-726: A founder of the new organisation. On 13 February 1950 the European Broadcasting Union had its first meeting with 23 members from the ITU defined European Broadcasting Area at the Imperial Hotel in Torquay , England, United Kingdom. The first president was Ian Jacob of the BBC who remained at the helm for 10 years while its operation was largely dominated by the BBC due to its financial, technical and staff input. The most important difference between

1440-501: A further 20 countries. It was established in 1950, and has its administrative headquarters in Geneva. The EBU owns and operates the Eurovision and Euroradio telecommunications networks on which major television and radio broadcasts are distributed live to its members. It also operates the daily Eurovision news exchange in which members share breaking news footage. In 2017, the EBU launched

1584-478: A large, active fanbase and an influence on popular culture. The popularity of the contest has led to the creation of several similar events, either organised by the EBU or created by external organisations; several special events have been organised by the EBU to celebrate select anniversaries or as a replacement due to cancellation. The Eurovision Song Contest was developed by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) as an experiment in live television broadcasting and

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1728-423: A late stage, censorship of broadcast segments by broadcasters, as well as political events impacting participation. Likewise, the contest has also been criticised for an over-abundance of elaborate stage shows at the cost of artistic merit. Eurovision has, however, gained popularity for its camp appeal, its musical span of ethnic and international styles, as well as emergence as part of LGBT culture , resulting in

1872-467: A local career boost and in some cases long-lasting international success. Several of the best-selling music artists in the world have competed in past editions, including ABBA , Celine Dion , Julio Iglesias , Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John ; some of the world's best-selling singles have received their first international performance on the Eurovision stage. While having gained popularity with

2016-589: A non-competitive format. Over the years the name used to describe the contest, and used on the official logo for each edition, has evolved. The first contests were produced under the name of Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne in French and as the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Prix in English, with similar variations used in the languages of each of the broadcasting countries. From 1968,

2160-517: A one-off revival in 2008) saw the participation of NATO and EEC members – including some from outside Europe like Canada – in addition to the Eastern Bloc countries of Intervision that had set up the contest. Only after the end of the Cold War did other countries from Central and Eastern Europe participate for the first time – some of those countries having gained or regained their independence in

2304-527: A representative spokesperson for each country in turn who announces their jury's points, while the results of the public vote are subsequently announced by the presenters. In recent years, it has been tradition that the first country to announce its jury points is the previous host, whereas the last country is the current host (with the exception of 2023 , when the United Kingdom hosted the contest on behalf of Ukraine, which went first). The qualifying acts in

2448-403: A similar style or tempo are performed in sequence. Since the creation of a second semi-final in 2008 , a semi-final allocation draw is held each year. Countries are placed into pots based on their geographical location and voting history in recent contests, and are assigned to compete in one of the two semi-finals through a random draw. Countries are then randomly assigned to compete in either

2592-614: A singer or group of up to six people aged 16 or older. Each country awards 1–8, 10 and 12 points to their ten favourite songs, based on the views of an assembled group of music professionals and the country's viewing public, with the song receiving the most points declared the winner. Other performances feature alongside the competition, including a specially-commissioned opening and interval act and guest performances by musicians and other personalities, with past acts including Cirque du Soleil , Madonna , Justin Timberlake , Mika , Rita Ora and

2736-584: A single TV show. A pre-selection method was subsequently introduced for the first time in order to reduce the number of competing entries, with seven countries in Central and Eastern Europe participating in Kvalifikacija za Millstreet , held in Ljubljana , Slovenia one month before the event. Following a vote amongst the seven competing countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina , Croatia and Slovenia were chosen to head to

2880-456: A standard feature of the event, began in 1958. Technological developments have transformed the contest: colour broadcasts began in 1968 ; satellite broadcasts in 1985 ; and streaming in 2000 . Broadcasts in widescreen began in 2005 and in high-definition since 2007, with ultra-high-definition tested for the first time in 2022. By the 1960s, between 16 and 18 countries were regularly competing each year. Countries from outside

3024-508: A statement saying that it was aware of the reports, but that it had not received any formal confirmation. On 1 March, a further statement from the EBU announced that it had suspended its Russian members from its governance structures. On 26 May, the EBU made effective the suspension of its Russian members indefinitely. In 2023, an extensive investigation by the EBU Investigative Journalism Network uncovered evidence of

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3168-499: A unique theme and identity created for that year's event; since 2013, the opening of the contest's final has included a "Flag Parade", with competing artists entering the stage behind their country's flag in a similar manner to the procession of competing athletes at the Olympic Games opening ceremony . Viewers are welcomed by one or more presenters who provide key updates during the show, conduct interviews with competing acts from

3312-547: A way to produce cheaper programming for national broadcasting organisations. The word "Eurovision" was first used by British journalist George Campey in the London Evening Standard in 1951, when he referred to a BBC programme being relayed by Dutch television. Following several events broadcast internationally via the Eurovision transmission network in the early 1950s, including the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953, an EBU committee, headed by Marcel Bezençon ,

3456-569: Is Austria . Eurovision Young Dancers was a biennial dance showcase broadcast on television throughout Europe. The inaugural competition was held in Reggio Emilia , Italy on 16 June 1985. It uses a format similar to the Eurovision Song Contest. Every participating country has the opportunity to send a dance act to compete for the title of Eurovision Young Dancer. The competition is for solo dancers, and all contestants must be between

3600-558: Is Martin Österdahl , who took over the role from Jon Ola Sand in May 2020. A detailed set of rules is written by the EBU for each contest and approved by the Reference Group. These rules have changed over time, and typically outline, among other points, the eligibility of the competing songs, the format of the contest, and the voting system to be used to determine the winner and how the results will be presented. All competing songs must have

3744-467: Is Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, which was attended by almost 38,000 spectators in 2001 . With a population of 1,500 at the time of the 1993 contest , Millstreet , Ireland remains the smallest hosting settlement, although its Green Glens Arena is capable of hosting up to 8,000 spectators. Unlike the Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup , whose host venues are announced several years in advance, there

3888-580: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . European Broadcasting Union The European Broadcasting Union ( EBU ; French: Union européenne de radio-télévision , UER ) is an alliance of public service media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area or who are members of the Council of Europe . As of 2024 , it is made up of 123 member organisations from 56 countries, and 31 associate members from

4032-406: Is a non-profit event, and financing is typically achieved through a fee from each participating broadcaster, contributions from the host broadcaster and the host city, and commercial revenues from sponsorships, ticket sales, televoting and merchandise. The host broadcaster will subsequently select a host city, typically a national or regional capital city, which must meet certain criteria set out in

4176-401: Is allowed during performances. The main vocals of competing songs must be performed live during the contest. Previously live backing vocals were also required; since 2021 these may optionally be pre-recorded – this change has been implemented in an effort to introduce flexibility following the cancellation of the 2020 edition and to facilitate modernisation. Since 2013 ,

4320-487: Is an annual international song competition between EBU members, that was first held in Lugano , Switzerland , on 24 May 1956. Seven countries participated – each submitting two songs, for a total of 14. This was the only contest in which more than one song per country was performed: since 1957, all contests have allowed one entry per country. The 1956 contest was won by the host nation, Switzerland . The winner of

4464-527: Is an annual international song competition that was first held in Copenhagen , Denmark , on 15 November 2003. Sixteen countries participated in the inaugural edition , with each submitting one song. The inaugural contest was won by Croatia . The winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Madrid , Spain , is Georgia . The Eurovision Dance Contest (not to be confused with Eurovision Young Dancers )

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4608-448: Is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union . Each participating country submits an original song to be performed live and transmitted to national broadcasters via the Eurovision and Euroradio networks , with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine a winner. The contest was inspired by and based on Italy's national Sanremo Music Festival , held in

4752-528: Is calculated for each country, and the country which has obtained more points from the public voting following this calculation is deemed to have placed higher. Since 1957, each country's votes have been announced during a special voting segment as part of the contest's broadcast, with a selected spokesperson assigned to announce the results of their country's vote. This spokesperson is typically well known in their country; previous spokespersons have included former Eurovision artists and presenters. Historically,

4896-414: Is invariably featured during this voting period, which on several occasions has included a well-known personality from the host country or an internationally recognised figure. The results of the voting are subsequently announced; in the semi-finals, the 10 highest-ranked countries are announced in a random order, with the full results undisclosed until after the final. In the final, the presenters call upon

5040-511: Is limited to a maximum of six, and no live animals are allowed. Since 1990 , all contestants must be aged 16 or over on the day of the live show in which they perform. Sandra Kim , the winner in 1986 at the age of 13, shall remain the contest's youngest winner while this rule remains in place. There is no limit on the nationality or country of birth of the competing artists, and participating broadcasters are free to select an artist from any country; several winning artists have subsequently held

5184-550: Is mentioned in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) and a plot point in the Father Ted episode " A Song for Europe " (1996). Preparations for each year's contest typically begin at the conclusion of the previous year's contest, with the winning country's head of delegation receiving a welcome package of information related to hosting the contest at the winner's press conference. Eurovision

5328-487: Is paid. The following eight EBU broadcast members had status as Approved Participants in November 2024. The following members previously had status as Approved Participants. The EBU in co-operation with the respective host broadcaster organises competitions and events in which its members can participate if they wish to do so. These include: The Eurovision Song Contest ( French : Concours Eurovision de la chanson )

5472-425: Is published on the official Eurovision website after the final, including each country's televoting ranking and the votes of its jury and individual jury members. Each country's individual televoting points in the final are typically displayed on-screen by that country's broadcaster following the announcement of the winner. Participating broadcasters are required to air live the semi-final in which they compete, or in

5616-498: Is typically held at a venue in the host city on the Sunday preceding the live shows, which includes a red carpet ceremony for all the participating countries and is usually broadcast online. Accredited delegates, press and fans have access to an official nightclub, the "EuroClub", and some delegations will hold their own parties. The "Eurovision Village" is an official fan zone open to the public free of charge, with live performances by

5760-533: Is typically that country's national public broadcasting organisation. The programme is staged by one of the participant countries and is broadcast from an auditorium in the selected host city. Since 2008, each contest is typically formed of three live television shows held over one week: two semi-finals are held on the Tuesday and Thursday, followed by a final on the Saturday. All participating countries compete in one of

5904-462: Is usually no purpose-built infrastructure whose construction is justified with the needs of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest. However, the 2012 edition , hosted in Baku , Azerbaijan, was held at Baku Crystal Hall , a venue that had not existed when Azerbaijan won the previous year. Most other editions have been held in pre-existing venues, but renovations or modifications have sometimes been undertaken in

Yugoslav Radio Television - Misplaced Pages Continue

6048-572: The Allies viewed it as a compromised organisation that they could not trust. In the spring of 1946, representatives of the Soviet radio committee proposed forming a new organisation; however, at the same time preparations were being made for an inter-governmental "European Broadcasting Conference" in Copenhagen in 1948 to draw up a new plan for frequency use in the European Broadcasting Area. It

6192-499: The COVID-19 pandemic . No competitive event was able to take place due to uncertainty caused by the spread of the virus in Europe and the various restrictions imposed by the governments of the participating countries. In its place a special broadcast, Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light , was produced by the organisers, which honoured the songs and artists that would have competed in 2020 in

6336-532: The Dutch name Eurovisiesongfestival was used when the Netherlands hosted in 1976 and 1980 . Original songs representing participating countries are performed in a live television programme broadcast via the Eurovision and Euroradio networks simultaneously to all countries. A "country" as a participant is represented by one television broadcaster from that country, a member of the European Broadcasting Union, and

6480-567: The EBU Technical Review , and the EBU tech- i magazine). The EBU also encourages active collaboration between its Members on the basis that they can freely share their knowledge and experience, thus achieving considerably more than individual Members could achieve by themselves. Much of this collaboration is achieved through Project Groups which study specific technical issues of common interest: for example, EBU Members have long been preparing for

6624-610: The European debt crisis . In response, the EBU set up a makeshift studio the same day near the former ERT offices in Athens in order to continue providing EBU members with the news-gathering and broadcast relay services which had formerly been provided by ERT. The EBU put out a statement expressing its "profound dismay" at the shutdown, urging the Greek Prime Minister "to use all his powers to immediately reverse this decision" and offered

6768-555: The Eurovision feed transmitted by the EBU, the EBU/Eurovision network logo ident (not to be confused with the logo of the song contest itself) is displayed. The accompanying music (used on other Eurovision broadcasts) is the Prelude (Marche en rondeau) to Marc-Antoine Charpentier 's Te Deum . Originally, the same logo was used for both the Eurovision network and the European Broadcasting Union, but they now have two different logos;

6912-575: The Eurovision Debates between candidates for president of the European Commission for the 2014 , 2019 and 2024 parliamentary elections. The Director-General is Noel Curran since 2017. EBU members are public service media (PSM) broadcasters established by law but are non-partisan, independent and run for the benefit of society as a whole. EBU members come from as far north as Iceland and as far south as Egypt , from Ireland in

7056-558: The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 , citing the Russian government's use of both outlets to spread disinformation surrounding the Russo-Ukrainian war . Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine , several other public broadcasters joined UA:PBC in calling for Russia's exclusion from the 2022 Contest; Finland 's Yle and Estonia 's ERR stated that they would not send a representative if Russia

7200-669: The Eurovision Young Dancers between 1987 and 1989 ; and Kazakhstan, who participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest between 2018 and 2022  – all of which were individually invited. The list of Associate Members of EBU comprised the following 32 broadcasting companies from 21 countries as of December 2023 . The list of past associate members of EBU comprises the following 94 broadcasting companies from 55 countries and 1 autonomous territory. Any groups or organisations from

7344-488: The International Radio and Television Organisation (OIRT), which further expanded the number of broadcasters by including those from countries of the former Eastern Bloc . These events impacted the contest as they expanded the number of broadcasters eligible to participate with those from new countries. 29 countries registered to take part in the 1993 contest, a figure the EBU considered unable to fit reasonably into

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7488-583: The Italian Riviera since 1951. Eurovision has been held annually since 1956 (except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 restrictions ), making it the longest-running international music competition on television and one of the world's longest-running television programmes. Active members of the EBU and invited associate members are eligible to compete; as of 2024, 52 countries have participated at least once. Each participating broadcaster sends an original song of three minutes duration or less to be performed live by

7632-638: The United Kingdom as Through the Night —and special theme days, such as the annual Christmas music relays from around Europe. The EBU is a member of the International Music Council . Most EBU broadcasters have group deals to carry major sporting events including the FIFA World Cup and the inaugural European Championships . Another annually recurring event which is broadcast across Europe through

7776-400: The breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s when most republics became independent countries. As a result, the once subnational broadcasting centers became public broadcasters of the newly independent states, with altered names: JRT TV frequencies: This article about mass media in Europe is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This European corporation or company article

7920-497: The first edition in the summer of 2018, hosted by the cities of Berlin , Germany (already chosen as the host for the 2018 European Athletics Championships ) and Glasgow , United Kingdom (already chosen as the host for the 2018 European Aquatics Championships , and which concurrently also hosted the events of the other sports). Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest ( French : Concours Eurovision de la chanson ), often known simply as Eurovision ,

8064-466: The green room , and guide the voting procedure in English and French. Competing acts perform sequentially, and after all songs have been performed, viewers are invited to vote for their favourite performances—except for the performance of their own country—via telephone , SMS and the official Eurovision app. The public vote comprises 50% of the final result alongside the views of a jury of music industry professionals from each country. An interval act

8208-575: The most recent contest , which took place in Malmö , Sweden , is Switzerland . Let the Peoples Sing is a biennial choir competition, the participants of which are chosen from radio recordings entered by EBU radio members. The final, encompassing three categories and around ten choirs, is offered as a live broadcast to all EBU members. The overall winner is awarded the Silver Rose Bowl . The first winner

8352-403: The "advice, assistance and expertise necessary for ERT to be preserved". Starting on 4 May 2014, the new state broadcaster New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television (NERIT) began nationwide transmissions, taking over ERT's vacant active membership slot in the EBU. On 11 June 2015, two years after ERT's closure, NERIT was renamed as Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), which reopened with

8496-592: The Council of Europe . Members benefit from: The EBU's highest-profile production is the Eurovision Song Contest . The EBU also organises the Eurovision Dance Contest , the Junior Eurovision Song Contest , the Eurovision Young Dancers competition, and other competitions which are modeled along similar lines. Radio collaborations include Euroclassic Notturno —an overnight classical music stream, produced by BBC Radio 3 and broadcast in

8640-521: The EBU Technical Department have long played an important role in the development of many systems used in radio and television broadcasting, such as: The EBU has also actively encouraged the development and implementation of: On 11 June 2013, the Greek government shut down the state broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) on short notice, citing government spending concerns related to

8784-513: The EBU and is a member of EMCY . The first competition was held in Manchester , United Kingdom on 11 May 1982. The televised competition is held every other year, with some countries holding national finals. Since its inaugural edition in 1982, it has become one of the most important music competitions on an international level. The winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Bodø , Norway ,

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8928-490: The EBU and its predecessors was that EBU membership was for broadcasters and not governments. Early delegates said EBU meetings were cordial and professional and very different from the abrupt tone of its predecessors. West Germany was admitted in 1951 and a working relationship forged with the USSR's Organisation for International Radio and TV (OIRT) which existed in parallel with the EBU until its merger on 1 January 1993. In 1967,

9072-475: The EBU is the Vienna New Year's Concert . Eurovision Media Services is the business arm of the EBU and provides media services for many media organisations and sports federations around the world. The theme music played before and after every EBU broadcast is Marc-Antoine Charpentier 's Prelude to Te Deum . It is played before and after the Eurovision Song Contest and other important events. The EBU

9216-538: The EBU, Channel One Russia , VGTRK , and Radio Dom Ostankino are all controlled by the Russian government. On 21 February 2022, the Russian government recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics , disputed territories that are internationally recognized as part of Ukraine . Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne called on the EBU to terminate the membership of Channel One Russia and VGTRK, and to consider preventing Russia from participating in

9360-721: The EBU, which took place in 2010, 2011 and 2012 in Geneva , Switzerland . Children aged between 7–14 representing eight countries within the EBU membership area performed a variety of circus acts at the Geneva Christmas Circus ( French : Cirque de Noël Genève ). The main show was also accompanied by the Magic Circus Show Orchestra. The inaugural Eurovision Choir , featuring non-professional choirs selected by EBU members, took place on 22 July 2017 in Riga , Latvia , hosted by

9504-466: The English name dropped the 'Grand Prix' from the name, with the French name being aligned as the Concours Eurovision de la Chanson , first used in 1973. The contest's official brand guidance specifies that translations of the name may be used depending on national tradition and brand recognition in the competing countries, but that the official name Eurovision Song Contest is always preferred;

9648-454: The European Broadcasting Area, is permitted to submit applications to the EBU for Associate Membership. It is also noted by the EBU that any country that is granted Associate Member status does not gain access into Eurovision events  – notable exceptions being Australia, who have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2015 and the Junior Eurovision Song Contest between 2015 and 2019 ; Canada, who participated in

9792-647: The European Broadcasting Area. Eligibility to participate in the contest is therefore not limited to countries in Europe, as several states geographically outside the boundaries of the continent or which span more than one continent are included in the Broadcasting Area. Countries from these groups have taken part in past editions, including countries in Western Asia such as Israel and Cyprus , countries which span Europe and Asia like Russia and Turkey, and North African countries such as Morocco . Australia became

9936-519: The Eurovision Social Newswire, an eyewitness and video verification service. Led by Head of Social Newsgathering, Derek Bowler, the service provides members of the EBU with verified and cleared-for-use newsworthy eyewitness media emerging on social media. The EBU, in co-operation with its members, produces programmes and organises events in which its members can participate, such as the Eurovision Song Contest , its best known production, or

10080-634: The IBO rented the IBU technical centre in Brussels and employed its staff. The BBC then proposed a new solution based on the IBO changing its constitution so there will be only one member per International Telecommunication Union (ITU) country, thus ensuring a Western majority over the USSR and its satellite states. In August 1949 a meeting took place in Stresa , Italy but it resulted in disagreement between delegates on how to resolve

10224-635: The Latvian broadcaster Latvijas Televīzija (LTV). Nine countries took part in the first edition. Carmen Manet from Slovenia was the first winner and the winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Gothenburg , Sweden , was Vocal Line from Denmark. The European Sports Championships is a multi-sport event involving some of the leading sports in Europe. The European Governing Bodies for athletics, aquatics, cycling, rowing, golf, gymnastics and triathlon, coordinated their individual championships as part of

10368-654: The ages of 16 and 21, and not professionally engaged. The winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Prague , Czech Republic , is Poland . Euroclassic Notturno is a six-hour sequence of classical music recordings, assembled by BBC Radio from material supplied by EBU members and streamed back to those broadcasters by satellite for use in their overnight classical-music schedules. The recordings used are taken not from commercial CDs, but from earlier (usually live) radio broadcasts. The Junior Eurovision Song Contest ( French : Concours Eurovision de la Chanson Junior )

10512-602: The alternative International Broadcasting Organisation (IBO) was founded with 26 members and without British participation. The following day the IBU met in General Assembly and an attempt was made to dissolve it but failed; though 18 of its 28 members left to join the IBO. For a period of time in the late 1940s both the IBU and IBO vied for the role of organising frequencies but Britain decided to be in involved in neither. The BBC attempted but failed to find suitable working arrangements with them. However, for practical purposes,

10656-399: The announcements were made through telephone lines from the countries of origin, with satellite links employed for the first time in 1994 , allowing the spokespersons to be seen visually by the audience and TV spectators. Scoring is done by both a national jury and a national televote. Each country's jury votes are consecutively added to the totals scoreboard as they are called upon by

10800-404: The arrival of the competing artists. Delegations will typically arrive in the host city two to three weeks before the live show, and each participating broadcaster nominates a head of delegation, responsible for coordinating the movements of their delegation and being that country's representative to the EBU. Members of each country's delegation include performers, composers, lyricists, members of

10944-471: The broadcast of interviews apparently obtained under duress". BTRC was given two weeks to respond before the suspension came into effect, but did not do so publicly. The suspension of the broadcaster was made effective on 1 July 2021. Although initial reports mentioned that it would expire after three years, in April 2024 the EBU confirmed that the suspension had been made indefinite. The three Russian members of

11088-431: The broadcast, is used as a recorded back-up in case of technological failure, and performances during this show are used by each country's professional jury to determine their votes. The delegations from the qualifying countries in each semi-final attend a qualifiers' press conference after their respective semi-final, and the winning delegation attends a winners' press conference following the final. A welcome reception

11232-465: The case of the automatic finalists the semi-final in which they are required to vote, and the final, in its entirety; this includes all competing songs, the voting recap containing short clips of the performances, the voting procedure or semi-final qualification reveal, and the reprise of the winning song in the final. Since 1999, broadcasters who wished to do so were given the opportunity to provide advertising during short, non-essential hiatuses in

11376-407: The competing songs' musical qualities, stage performance, prop and lighting set-up, and other production considerations taken into account. Since 2023, the voting system used to determine the results of the contest has worked on the basis of positional voting . Each country awards 1–8, 10 and 12 points to the ten favourite songs as voted for by that country's general public or assembled jury, with

11520-431: The contest can be seen as a unique opportunity for promoting the host country as a tourist destination and can provide benefits to the local economy and tourism sectors of the host city. However, there is a perception reflected in popular culture that some countries wish to avoid the costly burden of hosting – sometimes resulting in them sending deliberately subpar entries with no chance of winning. This belief

11664-449: The contest in 1997 on a trial basis, with broadcasters in five countries allowing the viewing public to determine their votes for the first time. From 1998 , televoting was extended to almost all competing countries, and subsequently became mandatory from 2004 . A jury was reintroduced for the final in 2009 , with each country's points comprising both the votes of the jury and public in an equal split; this mix of jury and public voting

11808-502: The contest in Millstreet , Ireland, whilst Estonia , Hungary , Romania and Slovakia were forced to wait another year before being allowed to compete. A new relegation system was introduced for entry into the 1994 contest, with the lowest-placed countries being forced to sit out the following year's event to be replaced by countries which had not competed in the previous contest. The bottom seven countries in 1993 were required to miss

11952-472: The contest is commonly referred to in English by the abbreviation "Eurovision", and in internal documents by the acronym "ESC". On only four occasions has the name used for the official logo of the contest not been in English or French: the Italian names Gran Premio Eurovisione della Canzone and Concorso Eurovisione della Canzone were used when Italy hosted the 1965 and 1991 contests respectively; and

12096-448: The contest presenter(s). The scoreboard was historically placed at the side of the stage and updated manually as each country gave their votes; in 1988 a computer graphics scoreboard was introduced. The jury points from 1–8 and 10 are displayed on screen and added automatically to the scoreboard, then the country's spokesperson announces which country will receive the 12 points. Once jury points from all countries have been announced,

12240-518: The contest's Reference Group. The European Broadcasting Area is defined by the International Telecommunication Union as encompassing the geographical area between the boundary of ITU Region 1 in the west, the meridian 40° East of Greenwich in the east, and parallel 30° North in the south. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the parts of Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Ukraine lying outside these limits, are also included in

12384-517: The contest's artists and screenings of the live shows on big screens. The contest is organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), together with the participating broadcaster of the host country. The event is monitored by an Executive Supervisor appointed by the EBU, and by the Reference Group which represents all participating broadcasters, who are each represented by a nominated Head of Delegation. The current Executive Supervisor

12528-446: The contest's rules. The host venue must be able to accommodate at least 10,000 spectators, a press centre for 1,500 journalists, should be within easy reach of an international airport and with hotel accommodation available for at least 2,000 delegates, journalists and spectators. A variety of different venues have been used for past editions, from small theatres and television studios to large arenas and stadiums. The largest host venue

12672-482: The contest, including the stage design, the opening and interval acts, and the "postcards". The short video postcards are interspersed between the entries and were first introduced in 1970, initially as an attempt to "bulk up" the contest after a number of countries decided not to compete, but has since become a regular part of the show and usually highlight the host country and introduce the competing acts. A unique slogan for each edition, first introduced in 2002 ,

12816-415: The contest, with those viewers able to cast votes via an online platform, which are then aggregated and awarded as one set of points from an "extra country" for the overall public vote. This system is a modification of that used since 1975, when the "12 points" system was first introduced but with one set of points per country, and a similar system used since 2016 where two sets of points were awarded in both

12960-427: The country it represented. This rule was first abolished in 1973 , and subsequently reinstated for most countries in 1977 , with only Belgium and Germany permitted freedom of language as their selection processes for that year's contest had already commenced. The language rule was once again abolished ahead of the 1999 contest . There is no restriction on the national origin, country of residence or age of

13104-531: The course of the breakup of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union. As a consequence, more countries were now applying than could feasibly participate in a one-night-event of reasonable length. Numerous solutions to this problem were tried out over the years. The 1993 contest included a contest called Kvalifikacija za Millstreet which was a pre-qualifying round for seven of these new countries, and from 1994 , relegation systems were introduced to manage

13248-403: The deadline specified in the rules for the year in which they wish to participate; this fee is different for each country based on its size and viewership. Fifty-two countries have participated at least once. These are listed here alongside the year in which they made their debut: The winning country traditionally hosts the following year's event, with some exceptions since 1958 . Hosting

13392-420: The event in Lugano in the spring of 1956. The Italian Sanremo Music Festival , held since 1951, was used as a basis for the initial planning of the contest, with several amendments and additions given its international nature. Seven countries participated in the first contest , with each country represented by two songs; the only time in which multiple entries per country were permitted. The winning song

13536-420: The final and failing to make it past the national selection, including the winning entry in 1982. The rules for the first contest specified that only solo performers were permitted to enter; this criterion was changed the following year to permit duos to compete, and groups were subsequently permitted for the first time in 1971 . Currently the number of people permitted on stage during competing performances

13680-610: The first concert in the International Concert Season of the European Broadcasting Union was broadcast from the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The objective of the EBU's technical activities is simply to assist EBU Members (see below) in this period of unprecedented technological changes. This includes the provision of technical information to Members via conferences and workshops, as well as in written form (such as

13824-474: The first contest in 1956 to the few Europeans who had television sets, its audience was primarily over the radio. The only footage available is a Kinescope recording of Lys Assia's reprise of her winning song. No full recording of the 1964 contest exists, with conflicting reports of the fate of any copies that may have survived. Audio recordings of both contests do, however, exist, and some short pieces of footage from both events have survived. Until 2004,

13968-424: The first country to participate from outside the European Broadcasting Area in 2015, following an invitation by the contest's Reference Group. EBU members who wish to participate must fulfil conditions as laid down in the rules of the contest, a separate copy of which is drafted annually. A maximum of 44 countries can take part in any one contest. Broadcasters must have paid the EBU a participation fee in advance to

14112-400: The first non-EBU member country to compete following an invitation by the EBU ahead of the contest's 60th edition in 2015; initially announced as a "one-off" for the anniversary edition, the country was invited back the following year and has subsequently participated every year since. Eurovision had been held every year until 2020, when that year's contest was cancelled in response to

14256-406: The first or second half of their respective semi-final, and once all competing songs have been selected the producers then determine the running order for the semi-finals. The automatic qualifiers are assigned at random to a semi-final for the purposes of voting rights. Semi-final qualifiers make a draw at random during the qualifiers' press conference to determine whether they will perform during

14400-485: The first performance of Riverdance . Originally consisting of a single evening event, the contest has expanded as new countries joined (including countries outside of Europe, such as Israel and Australia ), leading to the introduction of relegation procedures in the 1990s, before the creation of semi-finals in the 2000s. As of 2024, Germany has competed more times than any other country, having participated in all but one edition, while Ireland and Sweden both hold

14544-430: The first, second half, or a producer-determined position of the final, while the automatic finalists randomly draw their competing half or producer-determined position in the run-up to the final, except for the host country, whose exact performance position is determined in a separate draw. The running order for the final is then decided following the second semi-final by the producers. The running orders are decided with

14688-523: The following year's contest, and were replaced by the four unsuccessful countries in Kvalifikacija za Millstreet and new entries from Lithuania , Poland and Russia . This system was used again in 1994 for qualification for the 1995 contest , but a new system was introduced for the 1996 contest , when an audio-only qualification round was held in the months before the contest in Oslo , Norway; this system

14832-458: The history of the contest only two individuals have won more than once as a performer – Johnny Logan in 1980 and 1987 for Ireland, and Loreen in 2012 and 2023 for Sweden. The orchestra was a prominent aspect of the contest from 1956 to 1998. Pre-recorded backing tracks were first allowed for competing acts in 1973, but any pre-recorded instruments were required to be seen being "performed" on stage. In 1997, all instrumental music

14976-443: The host broadcaster owned the copyright of the contest that they produced, with the EBU owning the copyright of all subsequent editions. From the original seven countries which entered the first contest in 1956, the number of competing countries has steadily grown over time. 18 countries participated in the contest's tenth edition in 1965, and by 1990, 22 countries were regularly competing each year. Besides slight modifications to

15120-534: The host broadcaster, with the flag of the host country placed prominently in the centre of the Eurovision heart. The original logo was designed by the London-based agency JM International, and received a revamp in 2014 by the Amsterdam-based Cityzen Agency for the contest's 60th edition . An individual theme is utilised by contest producers when constructing the visual identity of each edition of

15264-429: The host city. Alongside the generic Eurovision logo, a unique theme is typically developed for each event. The contest has aired in countries across all continents; it has been available online via the official Eurovision website since 2001. Eurovision ranks among the world's most watched non-sporting events every year, with hundreds of millions of viewers globally. Performing at the contest has often provided artists with

15408-415: The language in which their entry may be performed. Rules specifying in which language a song may be performed have changed over time. No restrictions were originally enacted when the contest was first founded; however, following criticism over the 1965 Swedish entry being performed in English, a new rule was introduced for the 1966 contest restricting songs to be performed only in an official language of

15552-480: The latest Eurovision network logo was introduced in 2012, and when the ident is transmitted at the start and end of programmes it is this Eurovision network logo that appears. The EBU now holds the recordings of all but two editions of the contest in its archives, following a project initiated in 2011 to collate footage and related materials of all editions ahead of the event's 60th edition in 2015. Although cameras were present to practice pan-European broadcasting for

15696-470: The longest-running annual international televised music competition as determined by Guinness World Records . The contest has been listed as one of the longest-running television programmes in the world and among the world's most watched non-sporting events. A total of 52 countries have taken part in at least one edition, with a record 43 countries participating in a single contest, first in 2008 and subsequently in 2011 and 2018 . Australia became

15840-500: The most preferred song receiving 12 points. In the semi-finals, each country awards one set of points, based primarily on the votes cast by that country's viewing public via telephone , SMS or the official Eurovision app , while in the final, each country awards two sets of points, with one set awarded by the viewers and another awarded by a jury panel comprising five music professionals from that country. Since 2023, viewers in non-participating countries have also been able to vote during

15984-406: The number of competing entries, with the poorest performing countries barred from entering the following year's contest. From 2004, the contest expanded to become a multi-programme event, with a semi-final at the 49th contest allowing all interested countries to compete each year; a second semi-final was added to each edition from 2008. There have been 68 contests as of 2024, making Eurovision

16128-466: The order in which the competing countries perform has been determined by the contest's producers, and submitted to the EBU Executive Supervisor and Reference Group for approval before public announcement. This was changed from a random draw used in previous years in order to provide a better experience for television viewers and ensure all countries stand out by avoiding instances where songs of

16272-468: The participation of Belarus and the BTRC in the otherwise unpolitical Eurovision Song Contest in 2021, the argument being that the EBU would make a political statement if it did endorse Belarus by essentially and silently saying that democracy is unimportant and so are basic human rights such as freedom of speech. On 28 May 2021, the EBU suspended the BTRC's membership as they had been "particularly alarmed by

16416-417: The presenter(s) announce the total public points received for each finalist, with the votes for each country being consolidated and announced as a single value. Since 2019 , the public points have been revealed in ascending order based on the jury vote, with the country that received the fewest points from the jury being the first to receive their public points. A full breakdown of the results across all shows

16560-412: The press, and—in the years where a live orchestra was present—a conductor. Present if desired is a commentator, who provides commentary of the event for their country's radio and/or television feed in their country's own language in dedicated booths situated around the back of the arena behind the audience. Each country conducts two individual rehearsals behind closed doors, the first for 30 minutes and

16704-643: The problems. One proposal was for the European Broadcasting Area to be replaced by one that would exclude Eastern Europe , the Levant and North Africa . After Stresa, a consensus emerged among the Western Europeans to form a new organisation and the BBC proposed it be based in London . Meetings in Paris on 31 October and 1 November 1949 sealed the fate of the IBU and IBO, but it was decided not to allow West Germany to be

16848-470: The record for the most victories, with seven wins each in total. Traditionally held in the country that won the preceding year's event, the contest provides an opportunity to promote the host country and city as a tourist destination. Thousands of spectators attend each year, along with journalists who cover all aspects of the contest, including rehearsals in venue, press conferences with the competing acts, in addition to other related events and performances in

16992-406: The rehearsal and raise any special requirements or changes. "Meet and greet" sessions with accredited fans and press are held during these rehearsal weeks. Each live show is preceded by three dress rehearsals, where the whole show is run in the same way as it will be presented on TV. The second dress rehearsal, alternatively called the "jury show" or "evening preview show" and held the night before

17136-406: The revision of the 1961 Stockholm Plan. The EBU places great emphasis on the use of open standards. Widespread use of open standards (such as MPEG-2 , DAB , DVB , etc.) ensures interoperability between products from different vendors, as well as facilitating the exchange of programme material between EBU Members and promoting "horizontal markets" for the benefit of all consumers. EBU Members and

17280-413: The second for 20 minutes. Individual rehearsals for the semi-finalists commence the week before the live shows, with countries typically rehearsing in the order in which they will perform during the contest; rehearsals for the host country and the "Big Five" automatic finalists are held towards the end of the week. Following rehearsals, delegations meet with the show's production team to review footage of

17424-442: The semi-final round in 2004, Luxembourg and Ukraine are the only countries outside of the "Big Five" to have qualified for the final of every contest they have competed in. Each participating broadcaster has sole discretion over the process it may employ to select its entry for the contest. Typical methods in which participants are selected include a televised national final using a jury and/or public vote; an internal selection by

17568-405: The semi-finals and final. National juries and the public in each country are not allowed to vote for their own country, a rule first introduced in 1957. Historically, each country's points were determined by a jury, consisting at various times of members of the public, music professionals, or both in combination. With advances in telecommunication technology, televoting was first introduced to

17712-412: The semi-finals, and the winning delegation in the final are invited back on stage; in the final, a trophy is awarded to the winning performers and songwriters by the previous year's winner, followed by a reprise of the winning song. The full results of the competition, including detailed results of the jury and public vote, are released online shortly after the final, and the participating broadcaster of

17856-467: The seven countries to be absent from the Oslo contest. As of 2024 this is the only ESC Germany has not participated in. For the 1997 contest , a similar relegation system to that used between 1993 and 1995 was introduced, with each country's average scores in the preceding five contests being used as a measure to determine which countries would be relegated. This was subsequently changed again in 2001, back to

18000-453: The show's schedule. In exceptional circumstances, such as due to developing emergency situations, participating broadcasters may delay or postpone broadcast of the event. Should a broadcaster fail to air a show as expected in any other scenario they may be subject to sanctions by the EBU. Several broadcasters in countries that are unable to compete have previously aired the contest in their markets. As national broadcasters join and leave

18144-423: The songwriter(s). Furthermore, unlike performers who may only represent one country in any given year, songwriters are free to enter multiple songs in a single year sung by different acts. For example, in the 1980 edition, both Germany's and Luxembourg's entry were (co-)written by Ralph Siegel , who – in a career spanning over 40 years – was involved in some form in the writing of dozens of entries — both advancing to

18288-483: The traditional boundaries of Europe began entering the contest, and countries in Western Asia and North Africa started competing in the 1970s and 1980s. Apart from Yugoslavia (a member of the non-aligned movement and not seen as part of the Eastern Bloc at the time) no socialist or communist country ever participated. However, the Intervision Song Contest which held four editions in the 1970s and 1980s (and

18432-399: The two semi-finals, except for the host country of that year's contest and the contest's biggest financial contributors known as the "Big Five"— France , Germany , Italy , Spain and the United Kingdom . The remaining countries are split between the two semi-finals, and the 10 highest-scoring entries in each qualify to produce 26 countries competing in the final. Since the introduction of

18576-413: The viewing public in both participating and non-participating countries, the contest has also been the subject of criticism for its artistic quality as well as a perceived political aspect to the event. Concerns have been raised regarding political friendships and rivalries between countries potentially having an impact on the results. Controversial moments have included participating countries withdrawing at

18720-409: The voting system and other contest rules, no fundamental changes to the contest's format were introduced until the early 1990s, when events in Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s led to the breakup of Yugoslavia , with the subsequent admission into the EBU of the broadcasters of the countries that emerged from the breakup, and to the merger in 1993 of the EBU with its Eastern European counterpart,

18864-511: The west and Azerbaijan in the east, and almost every nation from geographical Europe in between. Associate members from the United States include ABC , CBS , NBC , CPB , NPR , APM and the only individual station, Chicago -based classical music radio WFMT . Membership is for media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area , as defined by the International Telecommunication Union , or who are members of

19008-632: The winning entry is traditionally given the honour of organising the following year's event. Active members (as opposed to associate members) of the European Broadcasting Union are eligible to participate; active members are those who are located in states that fall within the European Broadcasting Area , or are member states of the Council of Europe . Active members include media organisations whose broadcasts are often made available to at least 98% of households in their own country which are equipped to receive such transmissions. Associate member broadcasters may be eligible to compete, dependent on approval by

19152-405: The year prior to the contest which are justified with the needs of Eurovision. Until 2004, each edition of the contest used its own logo and visual identity as determined by the respective host broadcaster. To create a consistent visual identity, a generic logo was introduced ahead of the 2004 contest . This is typically accompanied by a unique theme artwork designed for each individual contest by

19296-447: Was " Refrain ", representing the host country Switzerland and performed by Lys Assia . Voting during the first contest was held behind closed doors, with only the winner being announced on stage; the use of a scoreboard and public announcement of the voting, inspired by the BBC's Festival of British Popular Songs , has been used since 1957. The tradition of the winning country hosting the following year's contest, which has since become

19440-402: Was Glasgow Phoenix Choir, conducted by their Chorus Master Peter Mooney , from Scotland in the 1961 competition that was held in London . The most recent winner is Copenhagen Girls Choir from Denmark, conducted by Anne-Terese Sales, in the 2024 competition that was held in London. Jeux sans frontières (English: Games Without Borders , lit.   'Games Without Frontiers') was

19584-560: Was a successor to the International Broadcasting Union (IBU) that was founded in 1925 and had its administrative headquarters in Geneva and technical office in Brussels. It fostered programming exchanges between members and mediated technical disputes between members that were mostly concerned with frequency and interference issues. It was in effect taken over by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and thereafter

19728-478: Was allowed to be pre-recorded, although the host country was still required to provide an orchestra. In 1999, the rules were changed again, making the orchestra an optional requirement; the host broadcaster of that year's contest , Israel's IBA , subsequently decided not to provide an orchestra, resulting in all entries using backing tracks for the first time. Currently all instrumental music for competing entries must now be pre-recorded, and no live instrumentation

19872-481: Was allowed to participate. After initially stating that both Russia and Ukraine would be allowed to compete, the EBU announced on 25 February 2022 that it would ban Russia from participating in the Contest. The three Russian broadcasters announced, via a statement released by Russian state media, that they would withdraw from the EBU on 26 February, citing increased politicization of the organization. The EBU released

20016-470: Was also an integral part of each contest's visual identity, which was replaced by a permanent slogan from 2024 onwards. The permanent slogan, "United by Music", had previously served as the slogan for the 2023 contest before being retained for all future editions as part of the contest's global brand strategy. Preparations in the host venue typically begin approximately six weeks before the final, to accommodate building works and technical rehearsals before

20160-453: Was an international dancing competition that was held for the first time in London , United Kingdom , on 1 September 2007. The inaugural contest was won by Finland . The competition was repeated in 2008 when it was held in Glasgow , United Kingdom , but has not been held since. The winner of the most recent contest is Poland . The Magic Circus Show was an entertainment show organised by

20304-559: Was considered necessary to have an organisation that could implement the " Copenhagen Wavelength Plan " but there was disagreement among broadcasters and particularly a fear expressed by the BBC that a new association might be dominated by the USSR and its proposal to give each of its constituent states one vote. France proposed that it would have four votes with the inclusion of its North African colonies . The United Kingdom felt it would have little influence with just one vote. On 27 June 1946,

20448-426: Was expanded into the semi-finals from 2010, and was used until 2023, when full public voting was reintroduced to determine the results of the semi-finals. The mix of jury and public voting continues to be used in the final. Should two or more countries finish with the same number of points, a tie-break procedure is employed to determine the final placings. As of 2016, a combined national televoting and jury result

20592-635: Was formed in January 1955 to investigate new initiatives for cooperation between broadcasters, which approved for further study a European song competition from an idea initially proposed by RAI manager Sergio Pugliese . The EBU's general assembly agreed to the organising of the song contest in October 1955, under the initial title of the European Grand Prix , and accepted a proposal by the Swiss delegation to host

20736-438: Was primarily introduced in an attempt to appease Germany, one of Eurovision's biggest markets and financial contributors, which would have otherwise been relegated under the previous system. 29 countries competed for 22 places in the main contest alongside the automatically qualified Norwegian hosts. However, Germany would ultimately still miss out, and joined Hungary, Romania, Russia, Denmark , Israel , and Macedonia as one of

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