Today EBU announced quite a controversial change to the Eurovision Song Contest. It will no longer be a draw, but the producers who decides which starting positions each country will get. Fans are worried that this will play a big part in who eventually wins the contest.
Over the years we have seen that a later starting positions will help a country in scoring better at the Eurovision Song Contest, both in the semi-finals and also in the actual final. Allocation pots have been introduced in order to make sure that countries didn’t end up in the same semi-final as all their neighbours and an exited draw, usually broadcasted online, then took place which settled where in the semi-final each country would start. Basically all countries were hoping for a position in the second half and everyone was fearing an early appearance on stage.
Now things will change. Today the European Broadcasting Union, EBU, announced that it from next year and forward will be the producers who will decide the starting positions, with the exception that the host country’s position will be determined by draw in order for the country not to give themselves the best position. This change has been implemented because: "We want to make great television. For our viewers, but also for the participants. Allowing the producers to determine the running order will help to make more exciting television shows and allows each contestant to stand out, instead of being surrounded by entries in similar style or tempo," says Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Fans are however not pleased as this opens up for too many speculations. Will EBU simply tell the producers that there are certain countries they would rather not see winning and therefore ask for a low starting position or maybe the other way around? Will the producers prefer to see neighbour countries winning and therefore give them a helping hand? Situations are many and this is not a popular decision among the many fans concerned about this. One thing is sure though; EBU has today shown that they are not afraid to make controversial decisions in order to do what they think will be an improvement of the show.
Which semi-final countries will end up in will still be decided by a draw, but for this year Denmark and Norway have already been allocated. With the announcement today came also the news that Denmark will be participating in the first semi-final, while Norway will be in the second semi-final. To exclude these two from the draw should be due to making sure that there are enough tickets available for the fans from the two countries.
