President Zelensky assures that “he will do everything possible” so that the country can organize the festival
Radiotelevision Española is prepared to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in case Ukraine, the winner of the edition, is unable to do so due to the consequences of the Russian invasion. This was confirmed, once the final on Saturday was over, by the Director of Communications and Participation, María Eizaguirre, who made the offer official by the President of RTVE, José Manuel Pérez Tornero. “The company offers to support the organization in Ukraine and if they need it, we are ready to host the next edition,” he announced on the public channel.
In this regard, the European Broadcasting Union (UER) would face an avalanche of Spanish cities publicly offering their municipality for the contest. From Valencia to Madrid, via Barcelona, Torremolinos (Málaga) or Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Mérida was the last to join this list, making the Roman theater available.
However, it is early to know where the next venue for Eurovision 2023 will be. Those responsible for the festival will have to consult with Ukrainian television in the coming weeks to make a decision. In addition, the opinion of the British BBC should also be known, which came second with Sam Ryder, and which could be the first alternative in case Ukraine renounces.
Yes, the Ukrainian president has already spoken and assured that he will do “everything possible” so that “one day” they can receive participants and guests of the festival in Mariupol. “Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year, Ukraine will host the Eurovision Song Contest for the third time in its history,” he said in a message on Telegram.
While the EBU has not defined a clear criterion in the event that a country refuses to host Eurovision, it has determined what would happen if the winner were Australia, which has competed since 2015. In this case it was agreed that the Australians could maintain their host status, but the celebration would always take place within the European continent.
Yes, in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest we find precedents for what could happen next year if Ukraine cannot cope with the organization of the contest. In 1980, for economic reasons, Israel argued not to hold the festival for the second consecutive year following the victory of Gali Atari & Milk and Honey with “Hallelujah.” He also claimed that the music contest coincided with the date on which the day of the Jewish Holocaust is commemorated. In the end, the Netherlands, which was in twelfth place, was chosen to keep it in The Hague.
Likewise, in 1969, with the technical tie for first place between the representatives of Spain, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands, the city of Amsterdam was chosen by lottery to host the following year’s edition.
The 2022 Eurovision final was followed by an average audience of more than 6.8 million viewers and a viewership share of 50.8% in La 1, making it the edition with the most ‘share’ since 2008 with Rodolfo Chikilicuatre. It is the fourth best figure since the audience measurement, also among Rosa López (2002) and Beth (2003).
The expectation rose to 7,942,000 followers and an audience of 61.3% at the time of the vote. Up to 11,441,000 viewers ever contacted the first TVE channel to follow these defining moments.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
