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23rd, 24th and 25th of May
Australia: Mega-Eurovision 2008 weekend on SBS
SBS' broadcast will be hosted by Julia Zemiro, host of the network's popular game show "RocKwiz" and who also played the role of Eurovision co-host 'Bronya' in the musical comedy "Eurobeat".
The first semi-final will air on Friday 23 May at 19:30 (local Australian EST time), followed later in the evening by a documentary on the rapid rise and equally-rapid fall of Jon Noergaard, winner of the 2002 Danish Pop Star talent series. Then later that night, another screening of the Norwegian mockumentary movie "Get Ready To Be Boyzvoiced".
The second semi-final will be broadcast on Saturday 24 May at 19:30 (local Australian EST time), followed by "ABBA: The Movie" - the 1977 film made during the group's tour of Australia.
The Eurovision final will be broadcast on Sunday 25 May starting at 19:30 (local Australian EST time). Later in the evening, SBS will present a repeat screening of the documentary "Finland, Zero Points" which follows Finland's journey in the Eurovision Song Contest culminating in Helsinki hosting the 2007 contest.
Australia has no participants at this years Eurovision Song Contest.
Special thanks to Andrew Bayley for submitting this information to esctoday.com
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Would love to see Australia (and NZ) taking part - given that most of the population of these countries is of European descent, I think why not if 'pseudo' European countries such as Azerbaijan and Armenia can enter. Also they'd be also guaranteed never to vote for their neighbours!
Thanks, Jonny! At least this gives me some hope that I might see it live on TV! 
- Keith Timmons
I have a feeling that TVE international may broadcast it. Check out the wikipedia page for ESC 2008 and it has a section called international broadcasts. Hope thats a bit of help!! 
Nice to see that so many supports the "Guest Entrant" idea!
Australia has no participants at this years Eurovision Song Contest. hahahaha well it's EURO-vision...
ok i like Julia Zemiro - she is french born Australian BUT she is just gonna make fun of everuthing I think... She is host HOPEFULLY not commentator... Wogan sometimes even goes too far...
being australian, id love to see australia involved one day!
we would DEFINATELY have to use a jury though.
some australian should represent the uk then maybe theyd get heaps of points due to the huge amount of aussies around europe!!!!
Does anyone know if TVE, TV5 or DW will broadcast the shows? I'm currently in the Philippines, and as they're not competing, I have to rely on said European broadcasters or online webcasts to watch the shows. I expect there's little chance that any of the European international networks will screen them, but does anyone know for sure?
@Fabio Deluca: Yes, that is exactly what we're thinking. It's all a conspiracy to keep muslims out of ESC. You go on believing that.
i love the sound of having a 'guest entrant', it'd be a great change =]
i't might bring Europe closer to outside, and it'd be really interesting
But would foreign TV stations be interested in sending an artist and would they be prepared to fund a contest in their own country? coz i'm sure there's not enough people interested in Eurovision outside Europe to justify spending so much money...
I'd love to see us in Eurovision, however, not everyone would get up at 5am and watch like I do.
Australia should never take part in the ESC because it doesn't belong to Europe and it is not a part of it,so people,this is called Eurovision,not World contest!!! Become aware of it for once!
Andrew from Serbia
I agree when you think of a "guest entrant" cultural/ancestral linked to Europe. Like USA; CANADA,NEW ZEALAND and AUSTRALIA...they are culturaly very linked to Brithish and Irish.
Or like MEXICO, ARGENTINA, CHILE...very Liked to Spain
Or even BRAZIL linked to Portugal, it´s former colony (and I would love to see Brazil...they have very strong music!!!)
Please Lets Unite to have each year a "guest entrant"!!!Please EBU!
USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia or New Zealand for example. "guest entrant"
I would love to see Australia joining in!!! it would be great...We could change AUSTRIA...for AUSTRALIA, maybe during the show no one would notice the change after all. And I think Australis is far more close to european way of party and sing than Morocco or Lebanon! Culturaly speaking Australia is more european than many countries now participating...not even talking of Morocco or Lebanon.
@eurovision blog, thye mena that australia has no partcipant this year as singers. as singers like gna g etcetc has participated for european nations before..
Australia has no participants at this years Eurovision Song Contest and sadly never will, whether they are in Europe or other part of the World, it's for EU members*
* Some non-EU countries as well but well they are closer to Europe
* So what time it would be if Australia won in ESC? What time in CET time?
When a European country like Slovakia is gonna join the contest again, I hear many voices against it (due to the probable exchange of votes with Cz. Republic). And it's even European.
And now you want Australia, the US or Canada in the contest!? I'd even prefer Morocco or Lebanon, that were members of the EBU for ages and are in the Mediterranean basin (like Cyprus and Israel). I think many of you are biased, because they are muslims...
YAY!! i luv SBS, they always put in a great effort in broadcasting it! i feel soo privlidged that we are able to get both semis when some competing nations are only broadcasting one !!
i would love to see us compete in esc one day in the format that some members have put forward, but honestly probz better we dont- i mean honestly who would vote for us????
oh and please guys dont be under false illusions that we would be giving the uk high points. if they are lucky they would get the lower points.. here we have massive diaspora communities and the 12, 10 n 8 points would be a definate to greece, serbia and turkey, and macedonia, cyprus and croatia would definatley get good points too, but hey would still be fantastic!!!
I'm sure Canberra would present the votes. 
GREAT!!! maybe they can participate in Eurovision to!! 
@ fan Armenien
they probably meant no Austalians are singing for a Eurovision country this year...Gina G, Olivia Newton-John, Jane the singer with Texas Lightning were from Australia. And I believe Johnny Logan was an Australian citizen when he won in 1980
LOL, I want Australia to take part in eurovision. Culturally, they are similar to europeans, they are members of the EBU, and THEY ROCK!!!! 
AUSTRALIA FOR ESC (They might actually vote for the UK!!! )
Good morning Sydney! May we have your votes please?
In which Semi final is Australia taking part? :-)
Nice! I want Australia to join ESC too. 
PLEASE EBU!
Please introduce the "guest entrant" in the ESC some time.
Invite an(one) unEBU broadcaster to participate in the contest each year! A broadcaster that represents a country which are very cultural/ancestral linked to Europe. Like USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia or New Zealand for example.
Let them stand in a queue so just one of them participates in each year of the contest. If one of them wins, then they have to organize the next edition of the ESC somewhere in Europe! In cooperation with the EBU-member-broadcaster which operates in the city/country they've chosen to host the event!
The "guest entrant" should be directly qualified for the Final! (Maybe they shouldn't be able to vote though)
@ Mongol Boy
That ain't so bad lol
I just thought you were knda brave too cos a comment like that on a Eurovision website would go down like a lead balloon!
I guess you will be avoiding this website to prevent it spoiling the results for you to
Did Australia ever participated in ESC? So what's the "Australia has no participants at this years Eurovision Song Contest" for?
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