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Eurovision Song Contest - Belgrade 2008

(February 2008)

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IS
Inspector Sands
smgboi posted:
This is a real possibility now as RTS in Serbia has already postponed its national selection show for political reasons. It would be a real shame if it was called off. I think most people would agree that it won't make Serbia look like a very developed, forward thinking, mature nation if it throws its dummies out of the pram and calls it off at such a late stage. After all, if Catalonia became independent from Spain or Scotland and England split I genuinely don't think you would see TVE or BBC taking similar action. They would probably push ahead to show the world their countries are still strong.


If Scotland declared independance from the UK I doubt there'd be rioting in London! It would be a huge thing, but there isn't really the patriatism to make us feel like we should set fire to embassies!

It's not about them calling it off so much as it being impractical and dangerous to host it there. I'm sure if it was up to Serbia they'd insist that it was ok to carry on as intended, it's everyone else that is being wary about them
NG
noggin Founding member
smgboi posted:
The possibilities if a decision's taken NOT to broadcast the show from Serbia...

Option 1 - Neighbouring country for simple logistical reasons - unlikely though as there's some hostility from Serbia towards neighbouring countries - particularly Slovenia.


Unlikely - most neighbouring countries would need the full 12 months to organise the logistics etc. - and sponsorship deals may lapse if the location changes. Unlikely.
Quote:

Option 2 - A Scandinavian country hosts the show. Very likely. As has been mentioned before, the Nordic nations play a big role now in the annual contest. Most countries ask them to help with design, production, etc as they have a good reputation for producing LIVE event type shows. It's very likely that you would see the show from a city like Stockholm. However, it would be JOINTLY produced by SVT, YLE and NRK for cost and last minute production reasons..

Most likely - though I suspect politically it would be YLE supported by SVT. NRK - and DR even more so - are much smaller, or poorer in money terms, operations.

Quote:

Option 3 - One of the big 4 hosts it. UK, Germany, Spain and France remain the big spenders in the EBU, despite not appearing to do a lot for the contests. Spain and France both have pretty inept broadcasters so its unlikely from them, But Germany can put on a great show as its broadcast network ARD is hugely wealthy and has a lot of resources. The UK'S BBC is technically excellent and provides resources for most of the contests. So the likely outcome in this option would be a contest from a city like Berlin with most on air production from ARD and technical output such as graphics, etc from the BBC.


Think the world has moved on a bit since then. Any graphics these days are likely to come from a 3rd party commercial operation - either Viz or a company using Viz. Similarly it is unlikely that any of the Big Four would really want to host it - though I think you are right that Germany or Britain would be the most likely to step in if there was no other solution.

HOWEVER - the obvious political choice is Finland - as they hosted the previous contest, have the most recent expertise, and it makes sense on so many levels.
NG
noggin Founding member
Inspector Sands posted:

It's not about them calling it off so much as it being impractical and dangerous to host it there. I'm sure if it was up to Serbia they'd insist that it was ok to carry on as intended, it's everyone else that is being wary about them


Yep - this coupled with a number of competing countries not wishing to give any support to a Serbia that opposed an independent Kosovo make a boycott rather than Serbia calling it off a more likely scenario.
DV
DVB Cornwall
Quote:
Official statement - 22/Feb 2008 @ 18:47
The European Broadcasting Union has of course closely been following the recent development in Serbia and has been in close contact with the organizers of Host Broadcaster RTS. We concluded that the recent irregularities in Belgrade will not cause any delays in the planning of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, or complications during the event in May. The EBU has no plans to move the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest from Belgrade. Having complete understanding for all the concerns, RTS will obtain a security guarantee from the government of Serbia regarding a complete and absolute safety of all participants and visitors of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade.

The EBU is giving its full support and trust to RTS in producing a successful Eurovision Song Contest in May.


Bjørn Erichsen, Director of Eurovision TV
Svante Stockselius, Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor
European Broadcasting Union




www.eurovision.tv
JA
jamesmd
SVT have had a bit of fun on Youtube. Apparently they're not happy with Melodifestivalen 08 clips being on the site so they've copyright claimed them all (well, nearly all). Shame.

BWO coming up this Sat on SVT - best of luck!
NG
noggin Founding member
JAH posted:
SVT have had a bit of fun on Youtube. Apparently they're not happy with Melodifestivalen 08 clips being on the site so they've copyright claimed them all (well, nearly all). Shame.

BWO coming up this Sat on SVT - best of luck!


Fingers crossed that both BWO (this week) and Linda Bengtzing (next week) get through to the final. Linda's mickey-take of Schlager last year was better than most of the songs entered in the contest...

Haven't really liked the first two weeks that much - was pleased that Sanne and Rongedal got through last week. This week seems to have a lot more that appeals - BWO is catchy and I think I may like Patrik Isaksson as well, and the others seem a bit better as well.

Looking forward to Linda vs Charlotte next week as well...
RT
RTÉ 1
Well Dustin the turkey, a famous puppet in Ireland has won as Ireland's entry for Eurovison 2008.

Consternation at the venue, with booing before and after the act, and when the winner was announced.

A highly controversial entry for the past number of weeks. The audience at the location was divided roughly 50/50.
NE
Noelfirl
I am frankly mortified. This is what happens when fickle mushheads and tweenies of the general population are allowed to have a say.
:-(
A former member
I just watched it online, that is truely shocking - but isint it acts like this which usually win nowadays.
RD
rdd Founding member
Well it will probably go down in history as the first Eurovision entry to actually mention (and be about) the Eurovision. Terry Wogan gets a mention in the lyrics (well, lest it be forgotten, he is from Limerick) so I wonder what his reaction to the song will be...

The contest was of course a joke, despite Ray D'arcy's pleas during the results (the only bit of the show I watched, the rugby was far more entertaining) that PriceWaterhouseCoopers were independently scrutinising. Where the organiser of a contest is also the promoter of a particular entry in that contest I find it hard to believe it was independent...
BJ
BigJimLarkin
Fact: The winners of recent Eurovision Song Contests have been just a bit off the wall.
Fact: They must have done something right because they won.
Fact: Dustin has been a household name for over a decade in Ireland and made RTE lots of money.
Fact: Ireland's recent entries haven't done very well.
Fact: Ireland still holds the record for winning most Eurovision Song Contests.

Conclusion: Ireland is taking itself and the Contest a little less seriously than before and will see if anyone else appreciates it.

Go Dustin!!
NG
noggin Founding member
BigJimLarkin posted:
Fact: The winners of recent Eurovision Song Contests have been just a bit off the wall.

Not sure I agree there - with the exception of Lordi. The winners over the past 10 years have not been particularly off the wall. Different possibly - but not off the wall.
Quote:

Fact: They must have done something right because they won.

Absolutely - the winner is almost always a good song performed well. Bad songs and poor performances seldom win.

Quote:

Fact: Dustin has been a household name for over a decade in Ireland and made RTE lots of money.
Fact: Ireland's recent entries haven't done very well.

Ireland stopped doing well when other countries other than the UK and Malta were allowed to enter in English. (Though non-English songs have won)

Quote:

Fact: Ireland still holds the record for winning most Eurovision Song Contests.

Yep - there was an interesting cluster of wins in the 90s. Some attribute this to Ireland taking the contest seriously and equally not trying too hard, as well as being able to enter in English. Ireland and the UK have yet to win since the language rule was ditched and anyone can enter in any language, which has meant many more countries entering in English (Though sometimes it isn't instantly obvious that English is being sung!)

22 winning songs have been in English... (The next most winning language is French with 14)

Quote:

Conclusion: Ireland is taking itself and the Contest a little less seriously than before and will see if anyone else appreciates it.

Go Dustin!!


I agree Ireland, like the UK before, is not taking the contest too seriously. However countries that do that don't do well. Germany have entered a couple of "joke" acts that didn't do well - as have Austria (though their's did better)

Another interesting fact - since 2001 each winner has won the contest for the first time (i.e. no country that has previously won has repeated their win since 2000)

Having said all that though - I have to say I love Dustin's song. The lyrics are great - though I don't know if some of them will be lost on the wider Europe. (Apologies for Riverdance, Flatley being a Yank etc. Wonder if they will get a cutaway of Terry in the performance?)

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