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Too many participants? what would happen - debate in reactions
Eurovision Song Contest full?
Mr. Stockselius confirmed to esctoday that 40 is the maximum number of participants that will be allowed to enter the Eurovision Song Contest. If all 37 participating countries from 2006 return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, and Serbia and Montenegro return as separate countries after their withdrawal in 2006, there would only be one remaining spot for a new or returning country at the competition.
With Czech and Georgian television interested in joining the competition, the possiblility that Lebanon will seek to enter next year (if they can agree to broadcast the Israeli song), and the possibilty that Austria, Italy and Hungary may return, there could be a situation where 44 countries will apply to participate in Helsinki.
With only a month to go before countries must submit their decision on participation to the EBU, esctoday.com today contacted Svante Stockselius to confirm what would happen, should this scenario unfold before confirming the news that Montenegro will participate in Helsinki!
Mr.Stockselius confirmed that the current rules do provide for a solution: "First we will look at the countries' participation over the last five years, if that did not give the answers, we would move to a draw".
What does this mean?
- Should this scenario occur, Austria would definitely return to the competition if they enter, and would not take part a draw because they have participate in four of the last 5 years.
- Both Serbia and Montenegro should be included because they have partiipated in the competition twice in the last five years, albeit as one joint pariticipant in 2004 and 2005.
- So, if Serbia, Montenegro and Austria all apply, they would join last year's participants at the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest. No debut countries would be able to enter.
However...
- Matters would become complicated if Italy was to return. Although this seems unlikely in 2007, it would be very popular with fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. Italy would also have a case to join the 'Big 4' as part of a new 'Big 5' because they are one of the primary contributors to the EBU. This means that should they return, Armenia's place at the contest may be in jeopardy because they have only participated once and they may be forced out of the competition.
- If Italy do not enter, Serbia and Montenegro both enter as separate countries and Hungary applies to return to the Eurovision Song Contest, a draw would be needed to select the 40th participant between Hungary and Armenia who have both participated once in the last five years. No new participants would then be able to enter in 2007.
- Without Italy, but including Serbia and Montenegro as separate countries and the return of either one of Austria or Hungary, Georgia, Czech Republic, Lebanon and any other country looking to enter the Eurovision Song Contest would be turned away.
- Should none from Austria, Hungary or Italy return and Serbia and Montenegro both participate, if Czech Repulblic, Georgia and Lebanon or any other debut country enter, a draw would be held to select one final participant in Helsinki.
Until the deadline for entry submissions passes, this will be a topic of debate for fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. In November, we will know which countries will participate in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest.
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It's riddicoulus that Italy are offered a place in "Big 4". After boycotting the contest in so many years, they are not more worth than others. Countries that have partipicated the latest, and even the last year, should go before. I'd actually prefer Armenia over Italy. EBU state that they are non-commercial, but they let flour countries that pay extra get a direct ticket to the final. And it is not because they are very succesful, Spain has won two times and Germany only one. Why not award tickets to Finland, Latvia and Turkey as well?
We really have to think about this realistically. In reality, there will only be 2 or 3 countries wanting to enter over the limit [i]at the most[/i]. This just simply is not enough to justify an entire new semi-final. In the next few years, even if more countries decide to participate, I think there will only ever be around 45-46 in the contest. I just don't see the point of introducing a whole new semi-final or heat simply to accomodate 5 extra countries.
I'm not too keen on the semi-final we have now, but it is necessary, as we now have so many countries that it would be impossible to decide on 24 each year, and the bottom 15 would end up being eliminated each year under the previous system!
I think now, a system similar to the one mentioned in the news article is best, or if that seems unfair to new countries, one like Kandinksy's Kid's solution. It might even be possible to have a private heat like 1996 involving the bottom 5 countries and any new / returning countries submitting their tapes and being narrowed down to 5 to fit the semi-final. Either way, countries will have to be eliminated and an extra semi-final would be pointless, boring, and would take alot of the magic of Eurovision away.
A few broadcasters would probably pull out if this were to happen anyway so we'd probably be back down to 40 countries anyway!
First of all we do not have to be paniced!!!!!
We actually don't know if ALL the 2006 participants are about to submit a song for Helsinki. If Moldova and Bulgaria withdraw (which I find very very possible...) then everything's OK???!!!!
No, of course not. EBU has to set [b]C L E A R[/b] conditions for the participating countries status. I do not agree with my friend Kryz with the two semis. Which countires are gonna take part in two semis??? How are they gonna do that?? With a draw??? How many countries from each semi to pass the final??? If in one semi the total amount of countries will be 16 and in the other 17 [examples, not real numbers] will it be fair for the "17" semi to have a country more?? Are the two shows going to be broadcasted in EVERY single country which participates this year??? Many questions guys, that's why I believe that the two semis are not gonna work and I support the idea of ELIMINATING the countries which did bad in the previous semi. It is very crystallized IMO. You came last in 2007 semi, then you are welcomed in the 2009 edition str8 in the semi...
I think the way Kandinsky Kid said would be the best actually if we can't have more than 40 countires!! of course ideally everyone should be let in as it goes agains the idea that all countires big, small, western,eastern, rich, poor can compete equally side by side if they do put a cap on the number becasue inevitably there will be a reason that the new countries can't join. If the lowest scoring countires in the semi are chucked out for a year at least its a good reason!!!!!! This way will mean the semi-finalists will try REALLY hard to send good songs too!!!
From my point of view, there are two systems: internal selection at the EBU, with only a show with 25-26 countries (similar to 1996) or an "Eurovision week", I mean, all european broadcasters will have to dedicate on week in May for short shows of 45 min or 1 hour, from Monday to Thursday, to decide the final songs for Saturday. The reason of my opinion is because I think is not fair to leave out just 3 or 4 countries (the excess of 40).
There are many ways that you can discuss who should be kept out .... of course, we have to assume that over 40 countries would apply to join the Eurovision. At the moment, assuming everyone from 2006 joined, we would have 39 (with the Czech Republic and Austria confirming their returns) and it looks set to go over 40 as Montenegro and Serbia are likely to join, and Georgia, Hungary, Slovakia, etc. show interest.
There is the idea of 2 semi-finals which I think would be a good solution, however I think you would have to perhaps limit the number of countries directly qualifying to the final to about 8, allowing for 8 qualifiers from each semi-final (assuming all the aforementioned nations I mentioned actually joined the contest, I believe it means we'd have 44, meaning roughly 15 countries would participate in each semi) to make a final total of 24. I can understand how this may not go down well with some broadcasters but I personally find it a fairer option as it gives more nations a chance to qualify. And, who's to say that the semi-finals cannot be done a week before the grand final or something?
Another idea is that, similar to 1993 and 1994, the countries that finished lowest in the semi-final would have to sit out for a year although it wouldn't be the best choice in my opinion. It does provide the pressure on countries to come up with the absolute best entry they can to avoid elimination (and, hopefully as a result we'd have a show filled with more quality) and also, from a money perspective, allow many broadcasters who failed to make the grade to save some money the next year .... however, (and please, if I'm wrong then don't hesistate to correct me 
) from a business point of view more countries in the competition mean more money for Svante right? And we all know that he's interested more in money than in the show....
I'm sure there are other ways of dealing with the matter too but I kinda have to go work now so I can't cover them .... regardless of whatever else I was going to propose I still feel that 2 semi-finals would be a better solution in more ways than one.
I completely agree with Greg Dunn. However, if Italy wants to come back I think they should have to go through Semifinal as well as the others either returning or debuting!
The more the merrier! The semi-final show is too long compared to the Eurovision final , so why not allow more countries to enter? That was the point of the semi, wasn't it?
Cut the length of the video postcards!!! I know the contestants can't olympic run too the stage, why not make the green room closer to the stage?
Just like the 1993 ESC, they need the maximum number of participants in the final between the numbers, 23-26 to make it better!!!
I want some nations 2 cum back 2 ESC:
A 26 country semi and 26 country final seems the only logical option. That way, you can include the countries that want to take part but you are only adding about 5 minutes to each programme.
After 45 though, I can't really see many more countries wanting to take part.
[u]Semi Final 07[/u]
Albania
Andorra
Austria (RETURN)
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic (DEBUT)
Denmark
Estonia
Hungary (RETURN)
Iceland
Israel
Latvia
Luxembourg (RETURN)
FYR Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro (DEBUT)
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Serbia (DEBUT)
Slovakia (RETURN)
Slovenia
Switzerland
[u]Final[/u]
Armenia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy (RETURN)
Lithuania
Romania
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey (PROMOTED)
UK
Ukraine
I want Slovakia, Italy and Luxembourg back 2 ESC!!!
I have to agree with Greg Dunn
There has been so much inclusion over the past few years that to reject countries now would not be fair.
A 26 country semi and 26 country final seems the only logical option. That way, you can include the countries that want to take part but you are only adding about 5 minutes to each programme.
After 42 though, I can't really see many more countries wanting to take part.
[u]Semi Final 07[/u]
Albania
Andorra
Austria (RETURN)
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic (DEBUT)
Denmark
Estonia
Hungary (RETURN)
Iceland
Israel
Latvia
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro (DEBUT)
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Serbia (DEBUT)
Slovenia
Switzerland
[u]Final[/u]
Armenia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Lithuania
Macedonia (PROMOTED)
Romania
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey (PROMOTED)
UK
Ukraine
As for Georgia and Italy, I don't know wether either country TRULY plans to return, if they did then plans would have to be made then. But for now, I think the countries above are the only ones that WILL enter.
@ Greg Dunn
this cannot be happened! It seems that the No of countries which are able to perform in the final will be 24 and NO MORE. they do not want to expand the final up to 25, or 26 countries like 2003, because they already have the voting procedure by all countries which takes much much time, as we already know...
A similar matter to that occured last year too. According to unformirmed - of course - sources, EBU seemd that had a clear plan of the participating countries:
--The maximum of the participating countries would be 40 [it is very well known...]
--If in a contest there is interesting from more than 40 countries, the things are very simple! EBU will welcome ALL new enties or re-rentries and they will eliminate the No of countries who took the last places in last year's SEMI-FINAL
--F.e: If for 2007 there is interesing from
Serbia
Austria
Slovakia
Czech Rep
Montenegro &
Georgia
we have a total of 43 countries to enter the competition. This means that the last 3 countries from semi-final 2006 will be eliminated and they will be Andorra, Belarus and Monaco. If Italy joins too, Netherlands will not have the chance either.
--The concept is that the next year (for 2008) the eliminated countries will automatically have the chance to enter [if they wish so] and it will be eliminated the amount of countries that will come last in 2007 semi final, and so on...
I FIND THIS SOLUTION very very clear but this thing demands that EBU has to organise more the things and all the procedures must have finished until December and not February...
Excuse me ....
It's not fun anymore to watch on 2 days 2 shows a total of 40 or 44 songs on which one show lasts 4 hours and one 3 hours. That is definitely too much! I enjoy the show very much, but I would say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
And more than that: how can songs have a chance if they're starting at no. 1 to 10 and then, still there are 20 more songs to go .... only the hardcore fans would survive and that wouldn't be a lot I guess!
I THINK ALL COUNTRIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. AND I HAVE A SIMPLE SOLUTION.. JUST ADD 30-45 MINUTES TO THE SEMIFINAL LET ALL THE 44 COUNTRIES SING THEIR SONG.. IT JUST ADDS TO MORE FUN.
BUT AFTER THEESE 44 COUNTIRE HAS ENTERED THEIR SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE MORE COUNTRIES ADDING UP IN THE ESC-LIST.
AND AS LONG AS NOT BELARUS MAKE IT TO THE FINAL IM HAPPY NO DICTATOR COUNTIRES IN ESC PLEASE. AND I HOPE RUSSIA NEVER WINS......THEY ALSO HAVE A DICTATOR..
The problem is, having been so inclusive for the past three years the EBU can't exactly turn around in 2007 and say yes to 40 countries and no to 1 or 2. Nor can you say yes to everyone and then try and come up with a system of weeding out the weakest 1 or 2 entries. And given how (for example) the Czech Republic has already spent money on [a committee to organise] a national final, how fair would it be to turn around to them at this point and say no when so many other countries have apparently made no plans at all? Why should Serbia or Montenegro get in ahead of anyone just because they used to take part as one country? Why should Austria get in ahead of anyone because they chose to sit it out last year? You can't come up with logical arguments in response to any of these questions. As someone pointed out, and as I have said for a long time: if 40 countries want to take part, you have a 25/25 semi/final with Turkey promoted directly to the final; if 42 countries want to take part, you have a 26/26 semi/final with Turkey and Macedonia promoted directly to the final; if more than that want to take part... I would be rather surprised.
Zohar Rashit SORRY i recall what i said before. I have checked again your comment and now i can understand clearly what do you mean.
Zohar Rashit I'm afraid both Israel and Malta deserved to be downthere this year.
the more countries especially from the former communist block means a bigger farce when it comes to televoting!!!
I despise "[i]The Tope Ten Automatically qualify[/i]" rule.... Thats is so pathetic and unfair. This year mos of the automatic qaulifiers didnt deserve a place in the final, and made it there because some singer the year before from their country "arranged" them a slot there
[b]This is unfair[/b] and even pathetic excuse. I agree we need the Big 4 money and they can qualify staright along the hosting country, but the rest ???? Did Israel and Malta desreve a place in this years final ???? [b][u]NO [/b][/u] ! ! !
The EBU really thinks in the stupidest of terms
'Maybe the Big 4 can have a advantage but do like this....
If they get 19th to 24th place they get a warning.
Next year:
1st to 12th place, The warning takes away
13th to 18th The warning stays, but no new warning is given
19th to 24th They get a second warning
They all have 3 warnings, if they get 3 they are in the semifinal and need to qualify up to the final to get the big 4 place again...
What do you think?'
Doesnt matter what we think - it'll be what the BBC, etc, think - and they'll say buggar that for a game of soldiers.
ARE THERE ANY COUNTRIES TO WHO I COULD SEND A SONG TO FOR THE eUROvISION
pLZ REPLY WITH ANY INTERNET LINKS
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP
I thought the reason to have a semi finals and a finals was to allow [i]more countries[/i] and [b]how ever many countries[/b] to enter the contest whenever they wanted to.
Maybe to resolve the problem the contest should have two semi finals with a maximum of 15 countries in each, and 5 progessing from each of the semis.
Then in the finals there would be [b]5(from Semi Number1) + 5(from Semi Number2) + Top Ten from the Year Before + Big4(/5 - if Italy join) = 24/25[/b]
It's impossible next year esc to reach 44 members!!!!! Luxembourg, Slovakia, Hungary and especially Italy have never declare that they will come back. The most possible scenario next year is to have 42 members.
So EBU should increase the number of participations in final from 24 to 26 -with the new relegation of announcement of votes there's plenty of time for two more songs-. According to this Turkey and FYR Macedonia qualifies straight to the final and in semi they will compete for the other 10 spots 26 countries.
I think this is a very good thought. Please stop doing things complicated....Some people spoke for two semis or a draw.....lolll.
When esc reaches 44 members we will speak again.
P. S As for Lebanon is impossible to participate after what happened to them last summmer (shame on Israel).
I think that the big4 exists because they are the main particapants in EBU...and this is the reason why Italy if EVER come back will be the 5th big.
I suppose there is no way in 2007 than having a "large" semifinal with all the countries willing to enter and already thinking about a new format for 2008. I still think a "second chance semifinal" can be a good solution...coz even now the countries already qualified have most of the time less quality entries than the semifinal entries.
Adam - The problem is that the Big 4 do not just exist because of the koney they pump in but also because of the audience they represent. They represent nearly 50% of the audience of the final. The EBU simply cannot afford not to have them there.
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