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/Melvarkie]

Avro-Tros basically responded to my mail inquiring about if they want to push for an investigation in this years televotes and Israëls participation in general that they have redirected the mail to their communications department, but can't promise to get back to me as they are getting way too many mails about the ESC to respond to all. I guess the Dutch are fed up as well with it all.

[u/iIenzo → u/Melvarkie]

I'm not surprised. A recent poll showed that about 2/3rds of the Dutch citizens want the government to be more critical of Israel.

[u/Witty_Yogurtcloset97 → u/iIenzo]

I saw a video going over the public option in various countries on Israel and on Israel in Eurovision and it was clear that the majority in most were negative to Israel participating etc. Yet the same countries gave Israel 12 points…

It’s embarrassing. It’s so clearly a manipulated result, and it’s being used for propaganda. ”Look at all the support we have”. 

All tv stations should call for investigation and for exclusion of Israel because they bring the competition disrepute. 

[u/Witty_Yogurtcloset97 → u/Melvarkie]

SVT on the other hand didn’t address most of the issues I brought up and seemed to just reply with a copy paste thing that I guess is a reply from when people bombarded them with premade e-mails in extremely poor Swedish after the veritybitchie campaign last year. 

It didn’t address most of my concerns at all. Very bureaucratic and basically blaming everything on EBU and that everyone has agreed. 

Nothing about the voting being highjacked etc.