|
| PayPal Button | |
|---|---|
|
| Polls |
|---|
| Polls Archive | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| A brief history of Eurovision |
| Written by Administrator | |
| Thursday, 08 May 2008 | |
|
Everything you need to know about the Contest - past and present What it is: In case you've been living in a cave and missed it for the past 53 years, the Eurovision Song Contest is a huge live TV show in which member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) do battle through the medium of song. The EBU was formed in 1950 by 23 broadcasting nations from across Europe at a conference in Devon. The important thing to remember is that you don't actually have to be in Europe to join the EBU, and in turn, to participate in Eurovision. This explains entries over the years from countries such as Morocco and Israel. How it all began: The EBU came up with the idea for Eurovision in 1955. It was a hugely ambitious project for its time - satellite television was yet to be invented for one thing, and Europe had never seen so many countries join together like this before. However, they pulled it off, and the first ever Eurovision Song Contest was held in Switzerland, the home of the EBU, the following year. Only seven countries participated that first year - Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK. But it was watched on a - remarkable for the time - 4 million television sets across those seven countries. The contest has been held every single year since its debut, and is now one of the longest-running, most watched television programmes in the world. Audience figures can be tricky to pin down as so many countries are involved, but they are estimated to have reached around 100 million. Scary, non? How it works: Actually, how it works has changed rather a lot over the years. As more and more countries have wanted to take part, it has been necessary for some sort of qualification or relegation system to be introduced. Several were tried and failed before the current system was settled upon. This year there are a record 43 participating countries, out of a possible 45. Almost all of these countries must compete in one of two semi-finals held at the Beogradska Arena in Belgrade on 20 and 22 May. Ten will be selected from each to go through to the final, which involves 25 countries. The other five spaces are filled by the host country, who automatically qualifies, and, not uncontroversially, the 'Big Four' of France, Germany, Spain and the UK, who contribute more financially to the EBU than any other countries. Their reward is a guaranteed place in the grand final year after year. Its legacy: Eurovision has, over the years, become known for questionable music, bizarre performances and political voting. It's amazing how many countries have awarded top marks to their neighbours time and time again. However, love it or hate it, Eurovision - or ESC, according to its fanatical fans - continues to thrive. The Eurovision crown brings the winning country attention and the prestige, as well as the financial burden, of hosting the contest the following year. It's also launched the careers of some of pop's biggest ever sellers, including ABBA, one of the most successful bands of all time, and Celine Dion, who - like it or not - has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide. Source |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
