List of countries in the Eurovision Song Contest: Difference between revisions
per the EBU and the burgeoning consensus at Talk:Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest#Merger proposal |
The main source for this Chwech change is not the EBU but ESC page also there couldnot be any concensus on the source which is contradictory within itself. Editors who got the FL should change not Chw |
||
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
==Participants== |
==Participants== |
||
The following table lists the countries that have participated in the Contest at least once. Shading indicates countries that did not participate in the most recent Contest, in 2008. Morocco participated in the Contest once, in 1980. Luxembourg, one of the original seven participants, has not been seen at the Contest since 1993. Italy withdrew from the Contest in 1997; Italian broadcaster [[RAI]] chose to divert funds and talent to the local [[Sanremo Music Festival]].<ref>ESCtoday.com ([[27 November]] [[2007]]). [http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/9737 What more does Italy need to return?]. Retrieved on [[9 February]] [[2008]].</ref> Slovakia competed three times between 1994 and 1998, failing to break into the top ten. Monaco returned to the Contest in 2004, after over two decades out of the Contest. However, the country failed to advance from the semi-final with each of its first three post-return entries, and withdrew after the 2006 Contest.<ref>Gylleneskor.se ([[13 December]] [[2006]]). [http://www.gylleneskor.se/artikel/monaco-drar-sig-ur-eurovision-song-contest Monaco drag sig ur Eurovision Song Contest] {{sv icon}}. Retrieved on [[9 February]] [[2008]].</ref> [[SFR Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] and [[Serbia and Montenegro]] were both dissolved, in 1991 and 2006 respectively. Serbia and Montenegro was to participate in the 2006 Contest as a united state, but withdrew after accusations of tactical voting at its national final.<ref name="serbiamontenegro"/> Serbia and Montenegro have competed as separate countries since 2007.<ref>Ian Taylor ([[14 May]] [[2007]]). [http://www.guardian.co.uk/serbia/article/0,,2078972,00.html From pariah state to kitsch victory: how a Balkan ballad showed Europe a new Serbia]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved on [[9 February]] [[2008]].</ref> Austria, having returned from a one-year absence, withdrew from the 2008 Contest; Edgar Bohm of [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]] said "We've already seen in 2007 that it's not the quality of the song, but the country of origin that determines the |
The following table lists the countries that have participated in the Contest at least once. Shading indicates countries that did not participate in the most recent Contest, in 2008. Morocco participated in the Contest once, in 1980. Luxembourg, one of the original seven participants, has not been seen at the Contest since 1993. Italy withdrew from the Contest in 1997; Italian broadcaster [[RAI]] chose to divert funds and talent to the local [[Sanremo Music Festival]].<ref>ESCtoday.com ([[27 November]] [[2007]]). [http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/9737 What more does Italy need to return?]. Retrieved on [[9 February]] [[2008]].</ref> Slovakia competed three times between 1994 and 1998, failing to break into the top ten. Monaco returned to the Contest in 2004, after over two decades out of the Contest. However, the country failed to advance from the semi-final with each of its first three post-return entries, and withdrew after the 2006 Contest.<ref>Gylleneskor.se ([[13 December]] [[2006]]). [http://www.gylleneskor.se/artikel/monaco-drar-sig-ur-eurovision-song-contest Monaco drag sig ur Eurovision Song Contest] {{sv icon}}. Retrieved on [[9 February]] [[2008]].</ref> [[SFR Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] and [[Serbia and Montenegro]] were both dissolved, in 1991 and 2006 respectively. Serbia and Montenegro was to participate in the 2006 Contest as a united state, but withdrew after accusations of tactical voting at its national final.<ref name="serbiamontenegro"/> Serbia and Montenegro have competed as separate countries since 2007.<ref>Ian Taylor ([[14 May]] [[2007]]). [http://www.guardian.co.uk/serbia/article/0,,2078972,00.html From pariah state to kitsch victory: how a Balkan ballad showed Europe a new Serbia]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved on [[9 February]] [[2008]].</ref> Austria, having returned from a one-year absence, withdrew from the 2008 Contest; Edgar Bohm of [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]] said "We've already seen in 2007 that it's not the quality of the song, but the country of origin that determines the winner of the Contest."<ref>ESCtoday.com ([[20 November]] [[2007]]). [http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/9678 Austria will not go to Belgrade]. Retrieved on [[9 February]] [[2008]].</ref> |
||
[[Image:Bobbejaan1957.jpg|thumb|[[Bobbejaan Schoepen]] performed the first Flemish Belgian entry at the Contest, in 1957.]] |
[[Image:Bobbejaan1957.jpg|thumb|[[Bobbejaan Schoepen]] performed the first Flemish Belgian entry at the Contest, in 1957.]] |
||
| Line 269: | Line 269: | ||
| [[Radio Television of Serbia|RTS]] |
| [[Radio Television of Serbia|RTS]] |
||
|- bgcolor="#DCDCDC" |
|- bgcolor="#DCDCDC" |
||
|{{flaglink|Serbia and Montenegro|in the Eurovision Song Contest}} |
|{{flaglink|Serbia and Montenegro|in the Eurovision Song Contest}}{{Ref_label|B|b|none}} |
||
| <center>[[Eurovision Song Contest |
| <center>[[Eurovision Song Contest 1992|1992]]</center> |
||
| <center> |
| <center>3</center> |
||
| <center>0</center> |
| <center>0</center> |
||
| RTS/RTCG |
| RTS/RTCG |
||
| Line 325: | Line 325: | ||
|{{flaglink|Yugoslavia|in the Eurovision Song Contest}} |
|{{flaglink|Yugoslavia|in the Eurovision Song Contest}} |
||
| <center>[[Eurovision Song Contest 1961|1961]]</center> |
| <center>[[Eurovision Song Contest 1961|1961]]</center> |
||
| <center> |
| <center>26</center> |
||
| <center>1</center> |
| <center>1</center> |
||
| [[Jugoslovenska radio-televizija|JRT]] |
| [[Jugoslovenska radio-televizija|JRT]] |
||
|} |
|} |
||
| Line 367: | Line 367: | ||
<ol type="a"> |
<ol type="a"> |
||
<li>{{Note_label|A|a|none}}VRT and RTBF alternate responsibilities for the Contest. VRT, however, is Belgium's sole representative in the [[Junior Eurovision Song Contest|Junior Contest]].</li> |
<li>{{Note_label|A|a|none}}VRT and RTBF alternate responsibilities for the Contest. VRT, however, is Belgium's sole representative in the [[Junior Eurovision Song Contest|Junior Contest]].</li> |
||
<li>{{Note_label|B|b|none}} |
<li>{{Note_label|B|b|none}}Although covering the same area and represented by the same broadcasters, Serbia and Montenegro competed as "Yugoslavia" in 1992.<ref>Doteurovision.com ([[22 February]] [[2004]]). [http://www.doteurovision.com/phpnews/news.php?action=fullnews&id=253 Željko Joksimovic wins Evropesma]. Retrieved on [[10 February]] [[2008]].</ref></li></div> |
||
==References== |
==References== |
||
Revision as of 22:29, 23 August 2008
1: Participated as part of Yugoslavia between 1961 and 1991
2: Participated as part of Yugoslavia and later Serbia & Montenegro until 2005
Fifty-one countries have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since it started in 1956. Of these, twenty-five have won the Contest. The Contest, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), is held annually between members of the Union. Broadcasters from different countries submit songs to the event, and cast votes to determine the most popular in the competition.
Participation in the Contest is open to all active member broadcasters of the EBU. To be an active member, broadcasters must be in the European Broadcasting Area, or be in a Council of Europe member country.[1] Eligibility to participate is not determined by geographic position in Europe, despite the "Euro" in "Eurovision". Israel, a Middle Eastern country, has been involved since 1973.
The number of countries participating each year has grown steadily, from seven in 1956 to over twenty in the late 1980s. As the number of contestants has risen, preliminary competitions and relegation have been introduced, to ensure that as many countries as possible get the chance to compete. In 1993, a preliminary show, Kvalifikacija za Millstreet ("Qualification for Millstreet"), was held in Ljubljana, to select three Eastern European countries to compete for the first time at the main Contest.[2] After the 1993 Contest, a relegation rule was introduced; the six lowest-placed countries in the Contest would not compete the following year.[3] In 1996, a new system was introduced. Audio tapes of all twenty-nine entrants were submitted to national juries. The twenty-two highest-placed songs after the juries voted reached the Contest itself. Norway, as host country, was given a bye to the final.[4] From 1997 to 2001 a system was used whereby the countries with the lowest average scores over the previous five years were relegated. Countries could not be relegated for more than one year.[5]
Between 2001 and 2003, the relegation system used in 1994 and 1995 was used. In 2004, a semi-final was introduced. The ten highest-placed countries in the previous year's Contest qualified for the final, along with the "Big Four": the largest financial contributors to the EBU. All other countries entered the semi-final. Ten countries qualified from the semi, leaving a final of twenty-four.[6] In 2008, two semi-finals were held with all countries, except the host country and the Big Four, participating in one of the semi-finals.[7]
Some countries, such as Germany and the United Kingdom, have entered on all but a handful of occasions; Morocco, on the other hand, has only entered once. Two countries, Tunisia and Lebanon, have attempted to enter the Contest but withdrew before making a debut. Liechtenstein, a country without an eligible television service, tried unsuccessfully to enter in 1969 and 1976.[8].
Participants
The following table lists the countries that have participated in the Contest at least once. Shading indicates countries that did not participate in the most recent Contest, in 2008. Morocco participated in the Contest once, in 1980. Luxembourg, one of the original seven participants, has not been seen at the Contest since 1993. Italy withdrew from the Contest in 1997; Italian broadcaster RAI chose to divert funds and talent to the local Sanremo Music Festival.[9] Slovakia competed three times between 1994 and 1998, failing to break into the top ten. Monaco returned to the Contest in 2004, after over two decades out of the Contest. However, the country failed to advance from the semi-final with each of its first three post-return entries, and withdrew after the 2006 Contest.[10] Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro were both dissolved, in 1991 and 2006 respectively. Serbia and Montenegro was to participate in the 2006 Contest as a united state, but withdrew after accusations of tactical voting at its national final.[11] Serbia and Montenegro have competed as separate countries since 2007.[12] Austria, having returned from a one-year absence, withdrew from the 2008 Contest; Edgar Bohm of ORF said "We've already seen in 2007 that it's not the quality of the song, but the country of origin that determines the winner of the Contest."[13]
Unsuccessful attempts to participate
To participate in the Contest, a broadcaster must register their intention to compete before the deadline specified in the rules of that year's event. Each participating broadcaster pays a fee towards the organisation of the Contest. Should a country withdraw from the Contest after the deadline, they will still need to pay these fees, and may also incur a fine or temporary ban.[11]
| Country | Year | Broadcaster | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Lebanon
|
2005 | Télé Liban | Lebanon withdrew from the 2005 Contest because Téle Liban could not guarantee that they would broadcast the Israeli entry, after the EBU had sought assurances that they would show the Contest in full. This would have violated the Contest's rules. | |
 Liechtenstein
|
1969 and 1976 | None | Liechtenstein does not have a EBU-member broadcaster and is therefore ineligible to enter the Contest. | |
 Tunisia
|
1977 | ERTT | Tunisia was to perform fourth in the 1977 Contest's running order. The reason for the country's withdrawal was never officially established; rumours suggest ERTT did not want to compete with Israel. |
Countries per year
Seven countries participated in the first Contest, in 1956. Since then, the number of entries has increased steadily. In 1970, a Nordic-led boycott of the Contest reduced the number of countries entering to twelve.[20] By the late 1980s, over twenty countries had become standard. In 1993, the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe gave many new countries the opportunity to compete. Three countries—Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, all of them former Yugoslav republics, won through from a pre-qualifier to compete. After the 1993 event, a relegation system was introduced, allowing even more Eastern European countries to compete: seven more made their debut in 1994. In 2003, three countries applied to make their debut: Albania, Belarus and Ukraine. In addition, Serbia and Montenegro, who had not competed since 1992, applied to return. The EBU, having originally accepted the four countries' applications, later rejected all but Ukraine; allowing four extra countries to compete would have meant relegating too many countries.[21][22] The semi-final was introduced in 2004 in an attempt to prevent situations like this. The Union set a limit of forty countries,[23] but by 2005 thirty-nine were competing. In 2007, the EBU lifted the limit, allowing forty-two countries to compete. Two semi-finals were held for the first time in 2008.[7]
Notes
- ^ VRT and RTBF alternate responsibilities for the Contest. VRT, however, is Belgium's sole representative in the Junior Contest.
- ^ Although covering the same area and represented by the same broadcasters, Serbia and Montenegro competed as "Yugoslavia" in 1992.[24]
References
- ^ European Broadcasting Union (22 February 2006). Membership conditions. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ ESCtoday.com. Eurovision Song Contest 1993. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ O'Connor, John Kennedy (2005). The Eurovision Song Contest 50 Years The Official History. London: Carlton Books Limited. ISBN 1-84442-586-X.
- ^ ESCtoday.com. Eurovision Song Contest 1996. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ Eurovision.tv. Eurovision Song Contest 1997. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ BBC News (12 May 2004). Eurovision finalists chosen. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ a b European Broadcasting Union (1 October 2007). Two semi-finals Eurovision Song Contest 2008. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ a b c BBC (26 April 2007). The Eurovision Song Contest 1956 - present. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ ESCtoday.com (27 November 2007). What more does Italy need to return?. Retrieved on 9 February 2008.
- ^ Gylleneskor.se (13 December 2006). Monaco drag sig ur Eurovision Song Contest Template:Sv icon. Retrieved on 9 February 2008.
- ^ a b BBC News (20 March 2006). Row prompts Eurovision withdrawal. Retrieved on 14 February 2008.
- ^ Ian Taylor (14 May 2007). From pariah state to kitsch victory: how a Balkan ballad showed Europe a new Serbia. The Guardian. Retrieved on 9 February 2008.
- ^ ESCtoday.com (20 November 2007). Austria will not go to Belgrade. Retrieved on 9 February 2008.
- ^ ESCtoday.com (26 February 2007). Rúsza wins by just 17 votes. Retrieved on 9 February 2008.
- ^ Eurovision.tv. History by country. Retrieved on 10 February 2008.
- ^ BBC News (18 March 2005). Lebanon withdraws from Eurovision. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ Guardian Unlimited (19 May 2005). European unison. Retrieved on 13 February 2008.
- ^ Al Bawaba (29 March 2005). Lebanon officially withdraws from Eurovision. Retrieved on 13 February 2008.
- ^ Eurovision.tv. Eurovision Song Contest 1977. Retrieved on 2 February 2008.
- ^ Eurovision.tv. Eurovision Song Contest 1970. Retrieved on 9 February 2008.
- ^ ESCtoday.com (27 November 2002). No new countries at next Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
- ^ ESCtoday.com (27 November 2002). EBU released list of participants for 2003. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
- ^ Eurovision.tv (27 October 2006). Georgia set on 2007. Retrieved on 11 February 2008.
- ^ Doteurovision.com (22 February 2004). Željko Joksimovic wins Evropesma. Retrieved on 10 February 2008.
Bibliography
- O'Connor, John Kennedy (2005). The Eurovision Song Contest 50 Years The Official History. London: Carlton Books Limited. ISBN 1-84442-586-X.
