Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest
| Italy | |
|---|---|
| |
| Participating broadcaster | RAI |
| Participation summary | |
| Appearances | 36 |
| First appearance | 1956 |
| Last appearance | 1997 |
| Highest placement | 1st: 1964, 1990 |
Italy participated in the Eurovision Song Contest frequently from 1956 to 1997. It was one of only seven countries that competed at the very first contest. It has not participated since 1997.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Contest's organisers, have announced that they will work harder to bring Italy back to the contest in 2010, along with former participants Monaco and Austria.[1]
Absences
Italy has withdrawn from the Eurovision Song Contest a number of times. The first withdrawal was in 1981, when RAI stated that interest had diminished in the country.[2] This absence continued through the following year, before Italy returned in 1983. Italy again withdrew in 1986 when RAI decided not to enter the contest. From 1994 to 1996 Italy withdrew again, with RAI citing a lack of interest in participating. Italy returned in 1997, before withdrawing again without giving any reason, and the country has not participated in the contest since.
It has to be said that none of the Eurovision winning songs was ever a major hit in Italy; "Non ho l'eta" by Gigliola Cinquetti (Grand Prix 1964) was indeed a hit in February 1964 when the song won the Sanremo festival, but according to the official "Hit Parade Italia" website, "Waterloo", "Ding-A-Dong", "Puppet on a String", "Save Your Kisses for Me" and even Italy's own winning entry of 1990, "Insieme: 1992", all failed to enter the TOP 10 of the records sales charts. A notable exception to this rule is however the 1984 entry "I treni di Tozeur" by Alice and Franco Battiato which only finished shared 5th in the actual contest, but still became a #3 hit in Italy and which also placed as #20 on the chart of the best-selling singles in Italy of 1984.[3]
A new interest?
However, in 2008 two noted Italian musicians, Vince Tempera and Eurovision winner Toto Cutugno expressed their sorrow at Italy's absence from the contest and called for the country to return to the contest.[4][5]
Contestants from the 2008 contest, starting with the winner Dima Bilan appeared on the Italian show Carramba! Che fortuna, hosted by Raffaella Carrà on Rai Uno. Whether this is an initiative by Carrà, who presented three shows in TVE concerning the event, to try to bring Eurovision back to Italy is unknown, but Sietse Bakker, Manager Communications & PR of the Eurovision Song Contest, reiterated that "Italy is still very much welcome to take part in the competition."[6][7][8]
Shortly after revealing the list of participatants for the 2009 Contest the EBU announced that, for the 2010 Contest, they will now work harder to bring Italy back into the contest, now setting it as a priority.[1]
Italy and the 'Big 5'.
Since 1998, four particular countries, namely the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain, have automatically qualified for the final of the Contest regardless of their positions on the scoreboard in previous Contests.[9] They earned this status by being the four biggest financial contributors to the EBU (without which the production of the Eurovision Song Contest would not be possible). Due to their untouchable status in the Contest, these countries became known as the "Big Four". Executive Supervisor of the Contest Svante Stockselius told reporters in a meeting with OGAE Serbia, that if Italy were to return to the contest in the future the country would also qualify automatically for the finals, becoming part of a "Big Five".[10][11]
TV censorship of the Eurovision Song Contest 1974
Italy refused to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 on RAI because of a song sung by Gigliola Cinquetti which coincided with the intense political campaigning for the 1974 Italian referendum on divorce which was held a month later in May. Despite the Eurovision contest taking place more than a month before the planned vote and despite Cinquetti going as far as taking second place, Italian censors refused to allow the contest and song to be shown or heard. RAI censors felt that the song, which was titled "Sì" (Yes), and which contained lyrics constantly repeating the aforementioned word could be accused of being subliminal messaging and a form of propaganda to influence the Italian voting public to vote 'yes' in the referendum ('yes' to the abolition of the law that allowed divorce). The song thus remained censored on most Italian state TV and radio stations for over a month.
Contestants
Voting history (1975-1997)
Italy has given the most points to...
| Rank | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  France
|
97 |
| 2 |  Ireland
|
93 |
| 3 |  United Kingdom
|
84 |
| 4 |  Spain
|
81 |
| 5 |  Switzerland
|
68 |
Italy has received the most points from...
| Rank | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Portugal
|
142 |
| 2 | Spain
|
122 |
| 3 |  Finland
|
115 |
| 4 | Switzerland
|
81 |
| 5 | France
|
76 |
| = |  Turkey
|
76 |
Hostings
| Year | Location | Venue | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 |  Naples
|
Sala dei Concerti della RAI | Renata Mauro |
| 1991 | Rome
|
Studio 15 di Cinecittà | Gigliola Cinquetti and Toto Cutugno |
References
- ^ a b Floras, Stella (2009-01-13). "EBU working for Eurovision full house in 2010". ESC Today. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "History - Eurovision Song Contest 1981". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Hit Parade Italia, chart entry "I Treni di Tozeur"
- ^ Kasapoglou, Yiorgos (2008-03-07). "Italy: Maestro Tempera calls Italy back to Eurovision". ESCToday. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Bakkar, Sieste (2008-06-16). "Cutugno: "Italy's absence unfortunate"". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Hondal, Víctor (2008-09-19). "Italy: Eurovision stars guests on Rai Uno". ESCToday. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Siim, Jarmo (2008-09-17). "Eurovision stars going to Italy!". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Solloso, Jaime (2008-09-18). "Rai Uno announce Eurovision show tonight". Oikotimes. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ O'Connor, John Kennedy (2005). The Eurovision Song Contest 50 Years The Official History. London: Carlton Books Limited. ISBN 1-84442-586-X.
- ^ "Svante Stockselius meets members of OGAE Serbia". Oikotimes. 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Fulton, Rick (2007-05-14). "The East V West Song Contest". Daily Record. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
External links
- Italian Eurovision Website
- Points to and from Italy eurovisioncovers.co.uk