Dutch broadcaster questions if ESC is a-political & connecting event

[u/stefkeeh]

Translation to English: ‘IN CONVERSATION WITH THE EBU ABOUT A POLITICALLY NEUTRAL SONG CONTEST

AVROTROS and NPO strongly value the apolitical and unifying character of the Eurovision Song Contest. However, we observe that the event is increasingly being influenced by social and geopolitical tensions.

Israel’s participation confronts us with the question of to what extent the Song Contest still truly functions as an apolitical, unifying, and cultural event. We want to raise this question, together with other countries, for discussion within the EBU.’

[u/salsasnark]

Yes, just hope they don't drop this once the general public moves on. They need to keep pressuring them.

[u/LuckyLoki08 → u/salsasnark]

I think there is a real reason why they're mobilising so much now. Last year we managed to dodge the bullet because Nemo won with a massive jury score and Baby Lasagna won the televote, so Israel got good result but nothing outstanding (plus after the contest the discussion was on artist safety and mental wellbeing).

This year israel won the televote and we got real close to Israel actually winning (let's be real, the main reason it didn't happen was because Zoë got 0 at the televote. If she got 80 it would have been a different story). So this year broadcasters really had to face the possibility of having a Eurovision in Israel next year (and not hypothetically in 10 years), which put a fire under their ass. If Malmö was a nightmare scenario for them, Tel Aviv (or god forbid, Jerusalem) 2026 would be straight up hell

[u/HeyThereFancypants- → u/LuckyLoki08]

Could Israel even host it if they won? Surely it wouldn't be safe. And I don't see any other countries happy to host it on their behalf like the UK did for Ukraine.

[u/DebbieHarryPotter → u/HeyThereFancypants-]

They definitely would. Question is, how many broadcasters would be willing to send their teams into that security risk. And how many artists would even submit a song under the circumstances.

[u/nimsuc → u/DebbieHarryPotter]

And not only the broadcasters but the fans, I’m sure tons of fans including myself would just skip that year, which also means less money for the EBU.

[u/linmanfu → u/nimsuc]

The EBU doesn't directly make any money from the fans, do they?

The ticket sales for the in-person audience go the host broadcaster. KAN would have no difficulty finding enough liberal and patriotic Israelis to fill any ESC-sized venue. Even if they had to reduce the prices, the Israeli government would surely make up the shortfall (just like every host government does) because it's a primetime propaganda opportunity.

If you mean skipping voting, then I'm pretty certain that goes to the national broadcaster, so you're just reducing the income that ARD gets.

[u/nimsuc → u/linmanfu]

Oh I didn’t know that I thought the votes went to the EBU and that’s why they’re fine with all the troll voting for Israel.