Las preguntas y respuestas más importantes sobre el Festival de Eurovisión
Published: Thursday, May 2nd 2024, 12:31
Updated At: Friday, May 3rd 2024, 01:59
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On May 7, the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will kick off with the first semi-final in the Swedish port city of Malmö. The major media event has been a cult TV event for years - and yet even many ESC fans have unanswered questions about the Eurovision cosmos. The most important questions and answers:
WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS EUROVISION SONG CONTEST AGAIN?
In 1955, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), an association of state and public broadcasters on this side of the Iron Curtain, decided on a joint project: the Grand Prix of the Eurovision. The music competition was held in Switzerland for the first time in 1956 - with only seven participating countries. Some countries, such as Austria, missed the registration deadline.
ISN'T THE SONG CONTEST CALLED THE GRAND PRIX?
In German-speaking television, the competition was initially actually called the Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson or the Grand Prix of Eurovision. The first edition in Lugano had the Italian title Gran Premio Eurovisione Della Canzone Europea. As early as 1960, the competition was called the Eurovision Song Contest in Great Britain, and in 1992 this title was standardized internationally.
DOES THE SONG CONTEST ALWAYS TAKE PLACE IN THE COUNTRY OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S WINNER?
After the first three competitions in Switzerland (1956), Germany (1957) and the Netherlands (1958), the rule was actually introduced that the winning country could host the next ESC. In the past, however, this honor was also waived - mostly to save costs. The Netherlands (1960), France (1963), Monaco (1972) and Luxembourg (1974), for example, allowed Great Britain to host, and Israel left the ESC to the Netherlands in 1980. Most recently, Ukraine had to give way to Great Britain in 2023 due to the Russian war of aggression and the associated impossibility of hosting such a mega-event in its own country.
DOES THE EVENT TAKE PLACE IN THE CAPITAL CITIES OF THE HOST COUNTRIES?
No, the ESC circus even likes to make guest appearances outside the big cities: less glamorous venues such as Harrogate, Brighton, Millstreet, Düsseldorf and Liverpool are on the list of ESC cities. But even if Malmö is one of this year's Song Contest locations away from metropolitan flair, the capital cities remain in the majority for the time being and lead with 41:27.
HOW MANY COUNTRIES HAVE TAKEN PART SO FAR?
A total of 52 countries can be found in the ESC results lists, including small countries such as Andorra and San Marino. Morocco is the only African country to have taken part to date (1980), while Australia has been involved since 2015. And finally, with Yugoslavia and the short-lived state duo Serbia & Montenegro, there are countries in ESC history that no longer exist today. Of the independent European countries, only Liechtenstein and the Vatican have never entered an entry. However, Liechtenstein's 1 FL TV has repeatedly sought EBU membership and participation in the ESC.
WHO ARE THE BEST AMONG THE PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES?
Sweden and Ireland lead the way with seven wins each, although Ireland's last triumph was 28 years ago. Last year's host nation, Great Britain, is the leading host country, having hosted the ESC nine times. On the other hand, those nations that have never won can be described as flop countries - that's 25 out of 52. Andorra is the worst of these: the mini-principality has 0 points in its Eurovision final account. That won't change this year either due to a lack of participation.
HOW COME ISRAEL, MOROCCO AND AZERBAIJAN ARE TAKING PART IN THE ESC?
The participating countries in the Eurovision Song Contest are not determined by their geographical location in Europe, but by their membership of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is headquartered in Geneva. Founded in 1950, the EBU currently has 113 members in 56 countries, including nations in North Africa and the Middle East.
AND HOW DOES AUSTRALIA ACHIEVE ESC HONORS?
Austria is to blame for this. Australia - which has been blessed with a fanatical ESC fan community for many years - was actually only invited to the anniversary ESC in Vienna in 2015 as an exception at the instigation of ORF. However, due to the success of the likeable participant Guy Sebastian, the idea was carried forward in subsequent years.
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