News Archives - Page 160 of 270

Basel Reveals Eurovision 2025 Figures: “Fulfilling Our Wildest Dreams”

May 20, 2025May 24, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2025 viewership figures revealed: dozens of protests, hundreds of thousands of visitors - this is how the festivities looked in Switzerland. Was this the most successful year in contest history? The city of Basel and the Swiss national broadcaster, SRG SSR, have published a summary of the activities surrounding Eurovision 2025, and the numbers are remarkable: over 500,000 people participated in satellite events and public screenings, around 100,000 visited the main show venues, and 170 million people watched the contest worldwide. Local authorities and the national broadcaster are calling the project a complete success - culturally, in terms of tourism, and for public safety. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “We Fulfilled a Dream - And in a Big Way” The President of the Basel Cantonal Government, Conradin Cramer, proudly presented the figures and said: “These are numbers we could only dream of. Our expectations were fully met. My wildest dreams have come true”. During the week, approximately 100,000 people attended the main...

Actual Results vs. Betting Odds – How Countries Surprised the Bookmakers at Eurovision 2025

May 20, 2025May 24, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2025 betting: Expectations vs. reality - how the betting odds were upended on the night. Here’s how the table shocked Europe and what happened to the favorites. As in every year, Eurovision 2025 was surrounded by anticipation regarding the betting odds - especially those updated on the eve of the grand final, which aggregated all major bookmakers’ predictions. Despite meticulous forecasts, the final delivered some resounding surprises, both positive and negative. The gaps between the latest betting rankings and the actual results reveal much about the contest’s dynamics and the reactions of both the audience and the juries. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); What Happened to the Favorites? The only country to meet expectations perfectly was Austria, which was ranked second in the odds and went on to win first place - the bet paid off. In contrast, Israel, with its representative Yuval Raphael, was ranked seventh in the odds but soared to second place in the final results...

American Famous Producer on Eurovision: “Being Number One By The Public is The Most Important Thing”

May 20, 2025May 20, 2025 by Tal Dahan Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Scooter Braun, the producer behind some of the world’s biggest artists, defends Yuval Raphael and Israel’s second-place finish at Eurovision 2025, emphasizing the significance of the public vote. The controversy surrounding the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final and Israel’s second-place finish continues to make headlines. While countries such as Spain and Belgium question the results, and representatives claim that Israel "engineered votes," one highly successful producer is unafraid to voice his support for Israel. Scooter Braun, the producer behind the careers of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Kanye West, and others, has spoken out against critics of Yuval Raphael and explained why she received such overwhelming support from the public vote. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "The public spoke, and you should’ve listened to them." Braun declared in a video posted on social media. "There are people having an issue with this young woman, Yuval, taking second place at Eurovision.. She was number one in the public vote...

“My Role Ends Next Spring”: Eurovision Supervisor Makes Dramatic Statement Amid Legal Dispute

May 20, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Drama at the European Broadcasting Union: In a surprising legal hearing, Eurovision’s chief supervisor reveals his end date. What prompted Martin Österdahl’s announcement and what lies behind this unexpected statement? Photo: Sören Vilks Amid ongoing political disputes, public criticism, and media controversies surrounding the management of the Eurovision Song Contest, a personal front in the life of Martin Österdahl, the contest’s chief supervisor, was revealed this week. In the midst of a legal battle over his private apartment in Stockholm, the high-ranking Eurovision official made a rare statement: “My work with Eurovision will end next spring, and then I plan to return to live in Sweden.” This declaration, made during a hearing at the Rent Tribunal, comes in the context of a widely publicized legal dispute regarding his Stockholm apartment—a conflict that concluded this week with a decisive ruling requiring Österdahl to vacate the property permanently. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A Luxury Apartment, Unusual Contract, and an Unkept Promise The story began years ago,...

Germany Threatens: “If Israel Is Removed from Eurovision – We Will Withdraw from the Contest”

May 20, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Germany in Eurovision 2025: Amid growing controversy, Germany reportedly threatened to withdraw from Eurovision if Israel was excluded. What led Germany to make this ultimatum to ensure Israel’s participation? As the debate over Israel’s participation in Eurovision intensifies, a Turkish news site reports that one of the main reasons Israel was allowed to compete in Eurovision 2025—despite numerous calls for its removal—was a threat from Germany to withdraw if the demand was accepted. This claim comes from Dr. Martin Gak, a veteran German journalist with a clear anti-Israel stance, who cites a source within the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Threat That Saved Israel’s Spot? According to Dr. Gak, the factor that prevented Israel’s removal from Eurovision, despite mounting pressure across Europe due to the war in Gaza, was a direct ultimatum from the German national broadcaster. The cited source stated: “If Israel is removed – we will also withdraw.” Dr. Gak explained: “Germany is a very...

Eurovision Controversy: Finland and Iceland Also Question Voting in Eurovision 2025

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

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel at Eurovision 2025: Finland and Iceland express doubts about the public vote, where Israel won with a big majority Following criticism from the national broadcasters of Spain and Belgium, Finland and Iceland have now joined the list of countries calling for a renewed examination of the Eurovision voting system. This marks another development in the growing wave of criticism following the results of Eurovision 2025, with countries taking a critical stance toward Israel questioning the transparency and reliability of the current voting process. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Finland Seeks Change—But Proceeds with Caution The chief entertainment producer of the Finnish national broadcaster Yle, Juha Lahti, confirmed that Finland will raise the issue of voting with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). According to him, this has been a subject of ongoing discussion in Finland. Lahti clarified: “We will ask the EBU to consider whether it is time to update the rules, or at least to examine if...

The Netherlands Joins Call for Discussion on Israel’s Participation in Eurovision

May 20, 2025 by Aviad Berger Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ongoing debate: The Netherlands has joined calls for a discussion on Israel’s participation in Eurovision. Will this move prompt an official response from the European Broadcasting Union? The controversy surrounding Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025 continues, with the Netherlands now joining the list of countries calling for a thorough and meaningful discussion on the issue. The Dutch national broadcasters, AVROTROS and NPO, released a joint statement requesting that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) hold an organized and official dialogue regarding the role and nature of Eurovision, given the growing political influences on the contest. In their joint statement, the broadcasters wrote: “AVROTROS and NPO attach great importance to the apolitical and unifying value of the Eurovision Song Contest. However, we observe that the event is increasingly affected by social and geopolitical pressures. Israel’s participation raises the question—to what extent does Eurovision still function as a cultural, unifying, and apolitical event? We wish to raise this question, together with...

Italy’s Eurovision 2025 Voting Revealed: Which Country Won the Most Italian Votes?

May 20, 2025May 24, 2025 by Ilay Gaist Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Italy at Eurovision 2025: A detailed look at Italian public voting in Eurovision 2025, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at audience preferences and how they differed from the overall contest results. The Italian national broadcaster, RAI, has published the full breakdown of the Italian public’s vote in Eurovision 2025, including precise data from both the first semi-final - where Italy participated as a voting country - and the grand final. This move towards transparency reveals which countries managed to captivate Italian viewers and highlights the significant differences between local preferences and the overall contest results. The country that received the most love from Italians, both in the semi-final and the final, was San Marino, represented by Gabry Ponte with the song "Tutta l’Italia". The fast-paced, catchy song, blending contemporary pop with a nod to Italian culture, garnered 54.65% of Italian votes in the semi-final - more than half of all votes - and no less than 34.16% in the...

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...