Eurovision song contest 2018

I think it should renamed as the voting has very little do do with the actual songs. Might as well have a bunfight..I've only ever purchased one winning song which still remains the best winner ever.

[denphone]

The only decent song l can remember is the song that won it in 1974?.

[pip08456]

Don't care, haven't watched it for YEARS! I can't even remember when I last watched it it's that long ago.

[heero_yuy]

We watched Star Wars IV. Extended version.

We watched tropic thunder probably less comedy then eurovision but tom cruise cracks me up in that film.

I only knew it was even on becasue of this topic.

I watched Agents of SHIELD, Gotham, and Once Upon a Time.

[richard s]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

I think it should renamed as the voting has very little do do with the actual songs. Might as well have a bunfight..I've only ever purchased one winning song which still remains the best winner ever.

Waterloo!

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by richard s

Yes funded by our license fee.

isn't it funded by the country that wins so we've not had to cough up for it for a long time. This is why Father Ted featured the attempt by Ireland to lose it by coming up with a terrible song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYzVMcgWhg
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/f...mand/21521-005

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

isn't it funded by the country that wins so we've not had to cough up for it for a long time. This is why Father Ted featured the attempt by Ireland to lose it by coming up with a terrible song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYzVMcgWhg
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/f...mand/21521-005

Participants make a contribution to the funding regardless of where its held, and Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the UK make the biggest contribution of all. That’s why they always get a free pass to the Saturday night final.

https://eurovision.tv/about/faq

How is the Eurovision Song Contest financed?

The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-profit event, mostly financed by:

contributions from the Participating Broadcasters (the so-called participation fee), adding up to €6.2 million combined. This fee is different for each country based on the solidarity principle that the strongest shoulders carry most weight. It is at the sole discretion of each Participating Broadcaster to decide if they wish to make public the financial details of their participation;

a contribution from the Host Broadcaster, which is generally between €10 and €20 million, depending on local circumstances and available resources.

a contribution from the Host City, either financially or ‘in kind’ (e.g. covering expenses of city branding, side events, security, etc.);

commercial revenue from sponsorship agreements, ticket sales, televoting and merchandise, which varies from year to year.

On average, over 90 percent of all available funds are being earmarked for the TV production and event organisation. Approximately 5% of available funds represent the budget for the EBU’s Eurovision Song Contest team and its partners. Any remaining funds are being reimbursed to the Participating Broadcasters, for as long local legislation allows such reimbursement.The budget is overlooked and approved by the Reference Group, on behalf of all Participating Broadcasters, on an annual basis.

I actually think it’s counterproductive for us to get a free pass to the final. We already have a problem with complacency around our Eurovision entry (goodness knows why, we haven’t won it for 20 years, which means we haven’t won it at all in the modern era with expanded participation and semi finals). Guaranteeing our final spot removes one of the key incentives to produce something good. It also reduces our exposure to the voting public. For years now, this competition hasn’t been about first impressions of a song nobody’s heard until Saturday night. Many countries promote their song extensively in the months leading up to the competition and in the week itself, all bar six of the songs have been broadcast live, and voted upon, already. Not being part of one of the midweek live broadcasts is causing all of the big five (plus the host) to miss a major promotional opportunity.

[Stephen]

At least they are trying to change and improve the voting systemto try and give others a better change of scoring points.

[Carth]

Should be put out to pasture IMO

I'm just glad that Simon Cowell doesn't have a finger in the pie otherwise it would be on twice a week

A reasonable number of people seem to enjoy it (I'm not amongst their number) - it seems harmless enough, and entertains some people (in the UK, 6.9 million people watching was the average figure, with a peak of 8.1 million).

Better viewing figures than Britain's Got Talent (which I don't watch either).

[denphone]

Yeah several of my family watch both these programmes so l am certainly not going to upset them even though l don't watch them.