When Trijntje Oosterhuis failed to bring the Netherlands into the final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, the interest for the final naturally dropped in the country. It however stayed well above previous years without Dutch participation.
2005 to 2012 saw one long streak of Dutch entries that all failed to reach the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. The previous two years however the Netherlands had success in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2013 Anouk finished in 9th position and last year The Common Linnets ended on a 2nd place with the song Calm After The Storm. Those two results naturally gave the Netherlands the highest viewing figures for the final seen in many years, and maybe they boosted a general increase in the interest for the Eurovision Song Contest.
This year the first semi-final with Dutch participation in form of Trijntje Oosterhuis and her Walk Along was seen by nearly 3,4 million with a market share of 47,5. That is on the line with the numbers for 2013 and 2014, and significantly higher than before that.
As the Netherlands didn’t make it to the final naturally the interest dropped, but not down to the level it was before the two successful years. In the other years without the Netherlands represented in the final we have seen viewing figures between 753.000 (2008) and 1.330.000 (2009), but this year a total of 1.970.000 of the Dutch still tuned into the final giving it a market share of 36,8. We have seen a similar thing happening in Denmark this year where the country failed to reach the final, but more people saw the final compared to last time the country didn’t qualify.
Dutch Eurovision viewing figures
| Programme | Market share | Total viewers |
| 2015 Final | 36,8 | 1.970.000 |
| 2015 Second semi-final | 15,9 | 964.000 |
| 2015 First semi-final | 47,5 | 3.391.000 |
| 2014 Final | 63,6 | 5.149.000 |
| 2014 Second semi-final | 25,9 | 1.742.000 |
| 2014 First semi-final | 45,1 | 3.299.000 |
| 2013 Final | 63,2 | 4.890.000 |
| 2013 Second semi-final | 21,8 | 1.441.00 |
| 2013 First semi-final | 49,5 | 3.769.000 |
| 2012 Final | 22,1 | 1.063.000 |
| 2012 Second semi-final | 38,6 | 2.119.000 |
| 2012 First semi-final | 18.1 | 1.054.00 |
| 2011 Final | 21,8 | 1.216.000 |
| 2011 Second semi-final | 31,0 | 2.043.000 |
| 2011 First semi-final | 17,7 | 1.007.000 |
| 2010 Final | 21,1 | 1.245.000 |
| 2010 Second semi-final | 37,2 | 2.453.000 |
| 2010 First semi-final | 18,1 | 1.066.000 |
| 2009 Final | 24,3 | 1.333.000 |
| 2009 Second semi-final | 37,9 | 2.488.000 |
| 2009 First semi-final | 17,8 | 1.086.000 |
| 2008 Final | 15,0 | 753.000 |
| 2008 Second semi-final | 8,0 | 473.000 |
| 2008 First semi-final | 30,0 | 1.777.000 |
| 2007 Final | 16,5 | 915.000 |
| 2007 Semi-final | 27,5 | 1.645.000 |
| 2006 Final | 21,4 | 1.336.000 |
| 2006 Semi-final | 24,0 | 1.449.000 |
| 2005 Final | 21,6 | 1.247.000 |
| 2005 Semi-final | 26,7 | 1.631.000 |
| 2004 Final | 46,9 | 2.950.000 |
| 2004 Semi-final | 27,4 | 1.630.000 |
| 2003 Final | 57,1 | 3.799.000 |
| 2002 Final | 29,8 | 1.582 |
Notes:
The shows in bold included Dutch participation
The Netherlands didn’t take part in 2002.
