Let’s look around the rest of the internet to see what’s happening in the world of the Song Contest as we put together our nightly list of Eurovision articles, news, features, and thoughts.
Benefitting the BBC
Ewan’s been having a look at the impact the Eurovision Song Contest has on the BBC… for the BBC. The ‘About The BBC’ blog carries an article today talking about Contest and the benefits it provides not just for the UK broadcaster.
1968 saw the first colour broadcast when the BBC hosted the event at the Royal Albert Hall. The advent of Ceefax offered an opportunity for viewers to watch subtitled song lyrics in real-time. Telephone voting was fully integrated across the competing countries in 1998 when the BBC last hosted Eurovision in Birmingham – another way in which technology went hand in hand with the competition. Now, it’s possible to watch the entire live show streamed on a mobile device. Things have come a long way since Marcel Bezançon’s idea in 1956.
It’s subtle, but I reckon the Eurovision Song Contest hits the three original tenets of the BBC – to educate, to inform, and to entertain.
Read on at ‘About The BBC‘.
One Eurovision Year Out
Speaking of the BBC, Radio 2 legend and Eurovision commentator Ken Bruce has been interviewed by the Express, and UK fans will be delighted to read his reaction to the whole ‘political voting’ question:
“The introduction of the Eastern European countries made a big difference and not just for the simple reason that they vote for one another,” says Ken, who rejects suggestions of old scores being settled and anti-British sentiment.
“I don’t think that it is as obvious as a political vote,” he adds. “It’s more a cultural thing because they all like the same music and have a warm feeling towards people of their own type.”
The full interview is online at The Express.
Gambling on Germany
ESC Insight’s Sam and Terry have spoken to German newspaper Prinz on the chances of Natalie Horler and Cascada at this year’s Contest. Sam’s pretty positive, but Terry is hoping she can win just to see how The Daily Mail copes with a Brit winning the contest for Germany…
More people pitched in as well, so head over to Prinz.de to read all the views.
Captured by a Melodifestivalen Repeat
Oh and we have one feature of the interval act for the Grand Final, in the shape of Carola. Who’ll likely do a similar set to her turn at Melodifestivalen. Just as we’re getting the opening act of Loreen to open a semi final. At this rate any Eurovision fan who hit the Swedish national final is going to ant a refund on their tickets for the Contest.