Eurovision Song Contest 2019

[IndigoSpritz]

First of all, I haven't watched it for years so I don't know what the quality is like. However, I wonder if there would be any negative impact if the UK ceased to participate ? Obviously, the contest must be a very expensive spectacle to stage and I have heard talk in the past - unverified - that the television services of just a handful of European nations practically finance the contest. The BBC is one of those. Could the show go on without the BBC contributing to the kitty ?

Why would we pull out ??! Is this a Brexit post in disguise???

The Eurovision song contest is the highlight of my year. It's bloody brilliant. Why haven't you watched it for years OP, what's wrong with you?!

No, this has nothing to do with Brexit. And I stopped watching because of the increasingly biased voting. There is nothing with me.

nothing wrong with me

Should we fund more BGT instead? Is that where this is going?
It's a shared entertainment that a lot of people enjoy for the spectacle. Many of us understand that UK isn't hugely popular in the voting system but as is often cited on here "it's not all about the winning"!

Couldn't comment on BGT - I've never seen it.

I understand the popularity of Eurovision. My question was whether the contest could still be staged if the UK, and thus the BBC, withdrew their participation and funding. Would it be possible to cover the shortfall ?

It could probably go on, but would put a strain on the smaller countries. Some countries already don't enter because of the financial burden (Bulgaria pulled out this year for example.) The UK along with Italy, France, Germany and Spain, contribute the most to the contest, and in return we go straight to the final (other countries participate in semi finals.) It's true that these 5 do in effect subsidise smaller country's participation. I personally don't think that's a bad thing, given the message of the contest.

Participation in Eurovision is based on membership of the European Broadcasting Union. That's a group of public service broadcasting national media from mostly across Europe, but also further afield. That means that broadcasters in the union have to be independent and non partisan. They have access to shared world class content which smaller nations don't have the funding to produce themselves. Bearing in mind that the union is made up of not just Western European countries, but also former eastern bloc, north African, and middle eastern countries, I think it's a great thing that there's shared access to independent media. Now, the UK could pull out of Eurovision separately, but it wouldn't be a great message for the EBU.

Oh. Are people from other countries being horrible to us? How nasty. Whatever can have caused that when we're renowned for our generous and welcoming appreciation of others?

Italy didn't participate for years despite being one of the original founders. They only started again in 2011 so to answer your question, I think the contest would manage just fine without us!