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The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 Has Been Cancelled Written by on March 18, 2020 | 3 Comments

The EBU, together with NPO, NOS, and AVROTROS, have announced that the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 has been cancelled due to the impact of COVID-19.

In its press release, the EBU goes into detail around the cancellation of the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest:

It is with deep regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam.

Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead.

However the uncertainty created by the spread of COVID-19 throughout Europe – and the restrictions put in place by the governments of the participating broadcasters and the Dutch authorities – means the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken the difficult decision that it is impossible to continue with the live event as planned.

There are a number of questions resulting from the cancellation. Not all of them can be answered immediately, but the team at Eurovision.tv has started an FAQ, which you can read here. It talks about the alternatives that were considered for staging the Song Contest in 2020, what happens to the songs selected for this year’s Contest, and what happens to the tickets purchased.

These are unprecedented times in the world, and the fight against COVID-19 is affecting society at every level. Although the Eurovision Song Contest may be cancelled, its spirt of co-operation and togetherness are more relevant than ever.

And it’s okay to grieve. You’re not alone, we’re in this together.

About The Author: Ewan Spence

British Academy (BAFTA) nominated broadcaster and writer Ewan Spence is the voice behind The Unofficial Eurovision Song Contest Podcast and one of the driving forces behind ESC Insight. Having had an online presence since 1994, he is a noted commentator around the intersection of the media, internet, technology, mobility and how it affects us all. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, his work has appeared on the BBC, The Stage, STV, and The Times. You can follow Ewan on Twitter (@ewan) and Facebook (facebook.com/ewanspence).

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Have Your Say

3 responses to “The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 Has Been Cancelled”

  1. James says:

    Together, we’ll get through this storm for storms don’t last forever, remember.

  2. Marc says:

    “We felt that under the extreme circumstances we face this year, organising the Eurovision Song Contest in another way would not be in keeping with our values and the tradition of the event.”
    It’s because of those extreme circumstances – which just got even more extreme – other ways might have been been given more consideration. We’re all now looking for other ways to get new entertainment. A contest of remotely filmed live performances, within prescribed parameters and linked from a TV studio, could still work

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