When oh when is the BBC going to stop wasting the millions it pays out as one of the 4 countries who pay for the Eurovision Song Contest and put that money into making drama instead?
The financial commitment was made years ago when the Eastern Bloc countries weren't even in the state of Europe never mind competing!
I agree though that if the 'Vote for your Trading Pals' system of winning is likely to sway all of the voting then it is time to withdraw not only the funding but our awful and inevitably hopeless attempts to win it!
Hello sarah.
I watched our entry, and without being bias, because even uk song is usually crap, our song was by far the best this year!!! So, why,why,why, did we come almost last? Is it because, our entry, didn't wear a plastic pair of wings or rubber horse head, from a low buget joke shop?( Like most of the naff rubbish that performed.)Maybe would should have reserected 'Gordon the Goffer'?( taken some tips from the Irish Entry.)No, the fact is Europe never votes 'uk' cos they don't like us!!Its all about politics...Plus 'some of Europes' music taste is forty years behind uk!!! Sooo yes, lets stop paying for this Euro rubbish!!!
I suppose it never occured to me that someone would pay for it. Now I know that the beeb are one in only four bodies to pay for this pathetic waste of time and money, I am utterly disgusted.
Perhaps if it were a true competition and the uk could actually win(although I do get all that it's not the winning blah blah blah).
The uk and beeb should pull out immediately. At least until these Eastern European countries actually realize what the contest is supposed to be about.
I can't see that happening anytime soon though.
I don't know about Eurovision Song Contest more like Eurovision Farse. Did you see Spain entry. The song and dancing was awful and the lead singer looked like a young Rolf Harris. To matters worse this country gets more votes than us. Terry Wogan was right when he said this contest has become more political. This last couple of years the UK has come bottom in scoring and in previous years we put worse entries than we have done of late. May be it is time for the UK to withdraw from the competition like Italy did in 1997.
Hi there, Its not so much withdrawing, its about the paying for it.
As Sarah said, its paid for by 4 countries, the UK being one of them, so I guess its down to when the contract runs out.
I think its appalling. We're not talking about a small amount of money here, I don't know the figures, but if you think about it, the money side that we put up is HUGE, and for what? Hardly anyone in the UK is interested.
The Eastern Europeans must think its hilarious that they can do this with us financing it!
I've always thought it was naff and I'm shocked the BBC pay for a quarter of it - what are they thinking, esp as they put all their crews on a freelance basis - ostensibly to save money!
The Euro song contest has become more and more political - time to call it a day.
Eurovision is and always shall be fun and cheesey :)
all countries should have to pay or none should
amd come on that spanish and french entries were genius.. and dont get me started on the ice skaters for the russian entry.. i almost shed a tear at their beauty
unless the Uk starts taking it as seriously as the other EU counteries and starts bribing our neighbours except for ireland of course to give us points then we will of alwyas come last but I will tell you something when that country san something gave us 6 points there was a riot in my flat and another thing the name needs chaging as a lot of the counteries that where in it this year are not in the europeon union! saying that I do enjoy screaming at the TV! xox
Its not whether they're in the EU or not... Its Europe - although there are a couple of exceptions - Israel and Russia.
However, I work with Europe in my temp job - both east and west (in fact, just chatting to my colleague Larissa in Ukraine on internal IM now) - and not all the countries I work with are in the EU but they are all in the Eurovision Song Contest. I also work with Russia but not Israel!
I don't think there's any bribes - its just the way they are - I deal with Europe (particularly Easern Europe) every day at my temp job (which has been going on forever - they call me their "everlasting temp!") it's in the culture of a lot of the countries to stick together, and also remember, most of them have only been independant for a few years - lots of them were one big country not so long ago, and old habits die hard, and being suspicious of the English dies hard. They also have friends and relatives in their neighbouring countries - hence they vote for them.
Also, remember, alot of them still have state controlled TV so they only know what they are told by their governments, and alot of them are very suspicious of the UK and its alliance with America, and the wars we are involved in around the world.
I work with translations of communications and I am forever having to explain words to them (these are specialist linguists) as the words and concept of those words just don't exist in some of the languages.
"Big Four"
From 2000 onwards, four particular countries would always qualify for the Eurovision final, regardless of their positions on the scoreboard in previous Contests.[32] They earned this special status by being the four biggest financial contributors to the EBU (without which the production of the Eurovision Song Contest would not be possible). These countries are Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Due to their "untouchable" status in the Contest, these countries became known as the "Big Four". However, there are currently reports that the UK may lose its automatic qualifying position after recent poor results.[42]
And these were the scores on the doors for the big 4!!
Germany - 23rd or joint bottom with us (we were 25th) - 14 points (Germany are higher up the score board as they got a higher individual mark from one country. (or something like that!)
France - 19th or 7th from bottom with 47 points
Spain - 16th or 10th from bottom with 55 points
So what would happen if all 4 of the big 4 dropped out. (Germany probably wouldn't - too many eastern block countries on their border.)
Sarah.
Do you not have a face? Do you find it hard to get work without one? Sorry if this comes across as rude, but i do find it off putting reading a thread, when you can't see who posted it in the first place!! x
15 years ago
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