Today, EBU rejected the offer from the Romanian commercial TV station Pro TV to take over from TVR and represent their country at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. All hope for Ovidiu seems out despite Pro TV continuing their fight.
A couple of days ago the commercial TV station Pro TV in Romania sent an open letter to the European broadcasting Union, EBU, offering to represent Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest instead of TVR who last all access to EBU’s member service including the Eurovision participation due to a big debt to EBU.
When we wrote about the open letter from EBU, we also noticed the fact that Pro TV isn’t a member of EBU, and as such they haven’t paid towards the member services either. We concluded that it therefore wouldn’t be possible for them to take over from TVR, and that is also the reason EBU gave today when they rejected the offer.
Although ProTV approached us with an offer to broadcast this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, because they are not Members of the European Broadcasting Union and the Eurovision Song Contest is a competition between Members and Associates, we cannot take them up on their offer.
Official statement from EBU.
Pro TV however is not acknowledging the fact that they aren’t a member and as such this is a clear cut. In a press release they first expressed their disappointment with the fact that they have to read an EBU answer on Facebook. They think they approached the European Broadcasting Union in a respectful and professional way and find the Facebook reply inappropriate. They continue talking about how commercial TV stations before have taken part in Eurovision, and as such they should’t be rejected. The fact that these commercial TV stations have been EBU members, they however overlook in their argumentation.
As to the objection against Pro TV as nonpublic broadcaster, this is not the first case when the commercial broadcasters were part of Eurovision song contests. In Germany, a private and public broadcaster have cooperated for 3 years (2010-2012), and also with a success story, as Lena Meyer-Landhut, the winner in 2010, was strongly linked and promoted by the private channel. This is an example that shows that collaboration between EBU and private broadcasters is possible.
Aleksandras Cesnavicius, CEO PRO TV.
Pro TV ends their press release with saying that they continue their fight to see Ovidiu representing Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest. The rehearsals start on Monday. Stay tuned on EuroVisionary as we will be reporting from Stockholm, Sweden – most likely without Romania taking part.
