LAST UPDATED : April 27th

 EUROVISION 2007 FORMAT 

The break-up of the former USSR and Yugoslavia and the consequent expansion of the E.B.U. (European Broadcasting Union) has provided a major challenge to the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest over the past 15 years. There are now far more countries wishing to take part, than would comfortably fit in the previous three hour schedule for the show. During the mid-1990s a relegation system was used, meaning that countries could not compete, if their results in previous contests were not good enough. Ireland, for example missed the 2002 contest, after a poor result in 2001.

In 2003 it was decided that relegation was threatening interest in the contest in some countries, and a change of direction saw the Eurovision Semi-Final being introduced for the first time in Istanbul in 2004. For this year's contest, 42 countries are in competition and there will once again be a semi-final to reduce the entries to 24 that will compete in the final on Saturday May 12th. All 37 countries that competed in Athens in 2006 are back with the exception of Monaco, which withdrew in December, believing it had little chance of success in a big field of 42 countries.

Two countries return to the contest, after taking a break in 2006; Austria and Hungary. Two countries compete for the first time as separate entities having competed as a single country in 2004 and 2005; Montenegro and Serbia. Finally two new countries join the Eurovision family; the former Soviet republic of Georgia and the Czech Republic. All these countries will compete in the semi-final along with those that missed out on the Top 10 in the final in 2006 and those countries that didn't make it to the final last year.

As before, the "Big 4" of France, Germany, Spain and the U.K. are automatically qualified for the final, as they make the biggest financial contribution to the costs of staging the show. Once again, the Top 10 countries from the previous will also be automatic finalists; Finland (2006 winners), Russia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Romania, Sweden, Lithuania, Ukraine, Armenia, Greece and Ireland.

The other 28 countries will compete in the semi-final, making that the biggest ever single contest in Eurovision history, overtaking the 26 countries that cometed in the final in Riga in 2003. The Top 10 countries in the semi-final will qualify for the final, and will be announced at random at the end of the semi-final show, and the results of the semi-final wil be kept secret until after the final, in order not to give any country an advantage.

As before all competing countries will be able to vote in both shows, meaning that Irish televoters will be able to vote in the semi-final on May 10th, even though Ireland is not competing in the semi. It is also believed that the EBU is toying with the idea of opening the voting in the semi-final as soon as the first song is performed, thus reducing the advantage of a late draw. If this works, voting in the final in future may also start as soon as the first song is performed.

Below you can see a map of Europe with automatic finalists in green and semi-finalists in orange. 

 FUTURE EUROVISION FORMAT 

It is very likely that this will be the final Eurovision Song Contest with the current qualification process. The Eurovision reference group submitted a formula to the Heads of Delegation in March, which would change the qualification from 2008 onwards. If agreed, the new format would involve two semi-finals rather than one and all countries except the previous year's winner and the "Big 4" would have to qualify for the final. 

If the proposal is agreed, two semi-final shows are likely to take place on the same evening (probably the Thursday night before the final) and will use the same venue and stage as the final. There would however be no obligation on broadcasters to show a semi-final, if they were not competing.

There would be a break of ten to fifteen minutes between the shows to allow the stage to be cleared and the live audience to have a well earned break. It wpould also offer the opportunity to change the audience in parts of the auditorium, if the host broadcaster desired. 

The semi-finalists would be divided by timezone. Countries using the Eastern European timezones (coloured orange and purple on the map on the left) would take part in the first semi-final which would most likely start at 19.00 BST. Countries in the Central and Western timezones (green and yellow on the map) would take part in the second semi-final starting immediatly afterwards, probably at 21.00 BST. 

Some countries in the Central European timezone, like the former Yugoslav states, Poland and Hungary may be "moved" to the earlier semi, so equalise the numbers participating in each show. Ten countries would qualify from each semi, joining the hosts and the "Big 4" in a 25 song final.

This proposal was however not agreed in March, and a counter proposal which would retain the idea of two semi-finals, but all countries being drawn at random. This however causes problems for countries in the extreme east of Europe. Should Armenia, Georgia or Azerbaijan (likely to join the contest in 2008) be drawn in the second semi-final, it would mean the show would begin at 1.00 am, local time. It is thought that a compromise which involves these counties (and Russia) being pre-drawn in the first semi-final, while those on the extreme west of the continent (Ireland, Iceland and Portugal) automatically being put in the second semi-final, to balance the draw.   

A final announcement is likely to be made before this year's contest, as no one wants a situation where a country that finishes in the Top 10 in Helsinki believes it is automatically in the final in 2008, only to have to qualify through a semi-final under the new format. If agreed, the new format would obviously take the pressure off this year's entrants to finish in the Top 10, as there is no advantage in terms of the following years qualification.

General reaction to the change has been very positive with many emphasising the benefit of the time-zone split, which should ensure a more geographically balanced final. Many people feel that it's the best way of making sure the best songs have an equal chance to get through to the final, and while many feel that having four of of five autmatic qualifying slots effectivly bought by "The Big 4", their participation in the final secures revenue and increases overall viewing figures. 

UPDATE (April 27th) : It now appears that the EBU has decided to stick with the currrent system of one semi-final for another year after broadcasters were unable to agreed an improved format. While this may seem shortsighted given the inordinate length of this year's semi-final, and the possibility of Azerbaijan entering and Monaco and Slovakia returning in 2008, a decision has to be made before this year's contest, so that participating countries knew the criteria for qualification for next year's competition.

Of course the EBU could still allow the top ten countries and the "Big 4" from this year to qualify and then split the rest into two semi-finals, so as they say "watch this space".    

 EUROVISION 2007 DRAW 

On March 12th, the draw for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest was made, in a spececial show broadcast on Finnish television channel YLE. The draw was also supposed to be streamed live on the internet, but thousands of fans were left disappointed when the webstream failed to materialise.

The show was in three parts, a draw for the semi-final, a draw for the final, and finally a draw for the voting order. This draw is necessary for technical reasons to set up satellite links to the participating countries in the voting. Inbetween the draw elements, we were treated to a mini-guide to host city of Helsinki, a potted history of Finland at Eurovision, and one of the slickest and most amusing Eurovision medlies ever seen.

The show had a distinctly Finnish feel to it, from the Eurovision presenters Janna Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi (left) coming out of their hot tub to the staged sauna and a dancing snowmen. Given that up to a few years ago few outside the Heads of Delegation got to see the draw, it has now become a key public element of the Eurovision calendar. 

This year's draw had the added twist of "wildcards". The first five countries drawn in the semi final and first three drawn in the final got to choose their starting position in the draw. While most people expected that these countries would choose the last positions in the draw, believing that might have an advantage in the era of televoting, things didn't turn out quite as expected.

Andorra chose to perform at #21 in the semi-final while other wildcards, Slovenia, Turkey, Austria and Latvia selected the last four slots in the draw. In the final, Armenia, the first "wildcard" chose to perform second to last at #23, while most surprsingly Ukraine chose #18 and Germany chose #16, all leaving the last slot in the final open. 

You can find the "All Kinds Of Everything" analysis of the draw for the final here. As for the semi-final, until we know whether televoting will start as the first song goes on stage or whether as in previous years, it will only be for a limited period after all the songs have been performed, it is impossible to judge how the draw position make impact a country's chances. It is believed that it would be to the advantage for countries which are earlier in the draw, if the voting started from the moment the first song came on stage.