News Archives - Page 134 of 243

Belgian Broadcasters Seek Greater Transparency from EBU Regarding Eurovision Voting

May 20, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2025: Belgium’s major national broadcasters and the ruling party are calling for increased transparency from the European Broadcasting Union, raising questions about the voting process and participation in the contest. For the first time since the media storm erupted in Belgium over the public vote at Eurovision 2025, the French-speaking national broadcaster RTBF has broken its silence—publicly supporting the Flemish broadcaster VRT’s demand for full transparency from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). In measured yet unequivocal language, the broadcaster clarified: “In light of ongoing discussions regarding the voting system, RTBF supports the need to ensure the highest levels of transparency.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Alternating Responsibility: The Link Between VRT and RTBF Unlike most European countries, Belgium is divided between two public national broadcasters by language region: VRT is responsible for the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) region, while RTBF covers the French-speaking area. Responsibility for Belgium’s participation in Eurovision alternates between them—one year under VRT, the...

Marko Bošnjak Attacks: “Israel Must Be Banned from Eurovision—Period”

May 20, 2025July 16, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Croatia at Eurovision 2025: A true "Poison Cake"—after his embarrassing elimination, Croatia’s representative lashes out at Israel, Ukraine, and reveals what he really thinks about Eurovision. Marko Bošnjak, who was chosen to represent Croatia at Eurovision 2025 with the song "Poison Cake", appears unwilling to accept his failure to qualify for the final. Just days after the contest’s conclusion—having finished only 12th out of 15 in the first semi-final with 28 points—the singer posted a lengthy and emotional Instagram story, venting his frustration, expressing controversial opinions, and directly attacking Israel’s participation in the contest. The video was released days after Eurovision ended, at a time when participants are no longer bound by the code of conduct they signed at the beginning of the process. Bošnjak used this opportunity to publish particularly harsh stories, voicing strong political views, dismissing the spirit of the competition, and employing especially blunt language. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "I Have Only Love for Ukraine, But...

Eurovision Director Responds to Criticism in Spain: “Our System Is the Most Advanced in the World”

May 20, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Following the Spanish national broadcaster’s inquiry about voting for Israel, the Eurovision director delivers a clear response defending the integrity of the voting process without leaving room for interpretation Just days after the conclusion of the Eurovision 2025 grand final in Basel, where Israel’s representative Yuval Raphael secured second place and first in the public vote, a controversy arose in Spain regarding the local voting results. The Spanish national broadcaster RTVE approached the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) demanding transparency on how the Spanish public vote was allocated, as Spain awarded Israel the full 12 points for the second consecutive year—a result that sparked public and political criticism. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); EBU’s Response to Spain’s Allegations Following the official inquiry from the Spanish national broadcaster, Martin Green, Eurovision’s executive supervisor, responded directly. In statements given to the news agency EFE and shared with the press, he rejected insinuations of manipulation or problems with the voting system and...

Eurovision 2025 Grand Final: European Viewership Figures Revealed

May 19, 2025 by Nitsan Eliraz Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2025 broke records, surprised Europe, and delivered historic moments. What happened in Spain, Germany, Greece, and elsewhere, and which record was shattered during this dramatic final? The Eurovision 2025 Grand Final, held in Basel, Switzerland, on May 17, 2025, delivered not only dramatic musical moments but also exceptionally impressive viewership figures from numerous countries. What happened across Europe, and what does the complete viewership map look like? All the data is presented below. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel: Historic Record-Breaking Figures – For Yuval According to data from the public broadcaster Kan 11, no fewer than 939,000 people in Israel watched the Eurovision Grand Final-a remarkable figure representing a 32.6% rating, the highest among all channels that day and by a significant margin over competitors. However, the highlight came during the performance of Yuval Raphael-Israel's representative in the contest. At that very moment, a peak viewership of 51.3% was recorded. In other words, more than...

“I Will Not Return to Eurovision”: Erika Vikman Criticizes Public Voting for Israel

May 19, 2025 by Nitsan Eliraz Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Finland in Eurovision 2025: Erika Vikman vents frustration-criticizing the public vote for Israel, the media, and addressing whether she plans to return to Eurovision. In an interview stirring both Finnish and international media, Erika Vikman, Finland's representative for Eurovision 2025 with the song "Ich Komme," who finished 11th in the grand final with 196 points, publicly addressed the results of the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland-particularly the significant number of votes received by Israel's representative. In an interview conducted upon her return to Helsinki, Vikman did not hold back, expressing clear frustration with the outcome, including personal criticism toward the media and the Israeli audience. Vikman landed at Helsinki airport late Sunday night, where journalists and local media representatives awaited her. According to her, the feelings were mixed: "I feel grateful and relieved," Vikman described her mood. She added that she had hoped for a higher placement in the final: "Of course, it was disappointing that we didn't even make it...

Eurovision 2026 in Austria: All the First Details Revealed

May 19, 2025 by Nitsan Eliraz Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria at Eurovision: Austria prepares to host Eurovision after winning in 2025-find out which city will host, the expected dates, and which countries have already confirmed participation. After the victory of singer JJ with the song "Wasted Love" in the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final held in Basel, Switzerland-a win that marked Austria’s third-ever triumph in the contest-the country is preparing to host the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. While the exact location and final date have yet to be announced, several important details about Eurovision 2026 are already known. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); When Will Eurovision 2026 Take Place? Eurovision is expected to be held in May 2026, as is tradition each year. However, as of now, no official dates have been published for any of the stages. According to tradition, the contest will consist of three main evenings: First Semi-Final – Tuesday, 22:00 (Israel time) Second Semi-Final – Thursday, 22:00 Grand Final –...

Austria: The Eurovision 2026 Representative Will Be Selected Internally!

May 18, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria at Eurovision: As 2025 winner JJ processes his victory, Austria is gearing up for Eurovision 2026 and announces an internal selection for its next representative. Just hours after singer JJ triumphed in the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final with "Wasted Love," Austria is still absorbing its third win in the contest’s history. Now, the selection method for the country’s Eurovision 2026 representative has been revealed. According to an official announcement broadcast by the Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, Austria will once again choose its entrant through an internal selection process, similar to recent years-but with an interesting twist. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria’s Selection: Internal Process with a Twist In a recent interview on Austria’s public channel, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz, the content director, confirmed that Austria will again use an internal selection model, but this time will also allow for an open submission phase. This means that songwriters, composers, singers, and producers will be able to submit entries. Following...

After Winning First Place at Eurovision – Austria Announces: Preparations for Eurovision 2026 Have Already Begun

May 18, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austria at Eurovision 2025: Just hours after its victory, Austria is already planning the next contest. What can we expect from Eurovision 2026? Austria is wasting no time looking back. Just hours after winning the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final, singer JJ-who clinched victory with the song "Wasted Love"-declared that he "feels like a dream has come true." Now, the first signs are emerging that this dream is set to continue: the Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, has officially announced that preparations for Eurovision 2026-set to be held in Austria-are already underway, unveiling a series of special programs to mark the country’s third win in the contest. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Austrians Move Fast: Work Began Immediately After the Victory Announcement Immediately after the broadcast ended in Basel, the Austrian national broadcaster ORF confirmed that preparations for the next Eurovision had already begun. A celebratory press conference featuring Roland Weißmann (CEO of the national broadcaster), Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz (Director of Programming), Stefan...

Drama in Spain: Call for Investigation Following Massive Support for Yuval Raphael!

May 18, 2025May 20, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel at Eurovision 2025: The public has spoken, but Spain demands an investigation. Why is the Spanish national broadcaster seeking to review the Spanish audience’s vote in Eurovision 2025? A storm is brewing in Spain following the overwhelming support received by Yuval Raphael, Israel’s representative at Eurovision 2025, from Spanish viewers. Despite the Spanish jury awarding Israel zero points, the Spanish public voted differently: 12 points-the maximum score-were given to Israel via the public vote. Now, the Spanish national broadcaster, RTVE, is demanding a comprehensive review of the voting process, effectively challenging its validity. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 142,000 Voters-But RTVE Rejects the Result The Spanish national broadcaster received only preliminary data from the European Broadcasting Union regarding the Spanish vote, indicating that 142,688 public votes were cast in the grand final. According to the report, votes were submitted via 7,283 phone calls, 23,840 SMS messages, and 111,565 online votes through the official app....

Austria’s City Showdown After Eurovision Victory: Which City Will Host Eurovision 2026?

May 18, 2025May 18, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Behind the scenes of Eurovision 2026 preparations: which cities are competing to host the next contest-and which have already withdrawn from the race? Just hours after singer JJ won the Eurovision 2025 grand final with the song "Wasted Love," Austria is beginning to process its third victory in the history of the contest. Now, a new and intriguing question arises: which city will host Eurovision 2026? As of now, five cities have already announced their intention to submit bids-though two of them have stated they are dropping out of the race. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Wels: Proposing a New Exhibition Hall – But Odds Are Low The city of Wels, Austria’s eighth largest, has expressed genuine interest in hosting the international contest. According to a statement from the municipality, the plan is to submit a proposal featuring a new exhibition hall, which is set to replace the current "Messe Wels" venue. Wels is located...