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Independent review of ESC: the results are in

Eurovision 2024 The 2024 Contest reached over 160 million people in 37 public service media markets. This was, however, a contest that will be reminded for other things. Several countries have added complaints about safety behind the scenes. Also, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was disqualified; a novum in the Eurovision Song Contest. Reason for the EBU to announce an independent review of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 in Malmö. Review and conclusion An industry expert led this review. They gathered feedback from various ESC stakeholders, including Heads of Delegation, ESC Reference Group members, and the EBU/ESC core team. Today, the EBU shares the conclusions of this review. Based on the findings, the EBU identified three key areas to focus on in the coming months. These areas aim to strengthen and protect next year’s Eurovision Song Contest and future events. The areas are: EBU Governance and Participation, Safety and Risk Management, and Audience Engagement, Fans, and Media. Actions already taken To keep up the momentum, the EBU appointed a task force of senior leaders. This team will oversee decision-making and changes in these areas. “The review also highlighted the need for a stronger leadership team to manage such a large event. We created a new role, ESC Director, reporting to the EBU Deputy Director General and Media Director. This role supports the Executive Supervisor, focusing on ESC production, delegations, member relationships, and daily production issues. The ESC Director will also oversee a new role called Head of ESC Brand and Commercial.” Decisions “Just six weeks after the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, we made these decisions quickly to ensure the event’s future success. We are dedicated to ensuring that the Eurovision Song Contest continues to thrive. We aim to reassure participating broadcasters and millions of fans that we are committed to maintaining the success of this joyful event.” Development areas EBU Governance and Participation: Clarify decision-making roles within the EBU. Ensure diverse member opinions are heard. Define the responsibilities of the ESC Core Team. Outline the roles of Heads of Delegations and Participating Artists. Safety and Risk Management: Simplify and improve understanding of ESC rules. Strengthen crisis management protocols. Enhance security and cybersecurity measures. Ensuring a General-Audience Show and Broad Engagement: Increase collaboration with fan groups, influencers, and media. Build broader engagement and ensure the ESC remains a prime-time show for all ages.

Françoise Hardy passed away

This night, the sad news came to us that French singer Françoise Hardy passed away. Hardy represented Monaco in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va”. Hardy, who was born on January 11 1944, signed her first contract with the record label Disques Vogue in November 1961. In April 1962, shortly after finishing school, she released her first album called “Oh oh Chéri.” The title song was written by Johnny Hallyday’s songwriting team. The song “Tous les garçons et les filles” became very popular and sold 2 million copies. She had long hair, usually wore jeans with a leather jacket, and played the guitar. Because of the success of “Tous les garçons et les filles” and her style, people in the mid-1960s called her ‘France’s answer to The Beatles.’ Hardy sometimes sang in English, Italian, Spanish, and German. In 1963, she represented Monaco at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va” and finished in fifth place. She received the Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros award in 1968. In May 2000, she made a comeback with the album “Clair Obscur.” Her son played guitar, and her husband sang a duet with her called “Puisque vous partez en voyage.” Iggy Pop and Étienne Daho also took part in the album. Françoise Hardy was already ill for a long time. She was 80 years old.

Independent investigation into EBU and Eurovision 2024

An independent investigation will be started into the EBU. Insiders told Dutch TV-show RTL Boulevard about this earlier today, and the EBU has confirmed it. The investigation is being requested by the EBU itself after several complaints about an unsafe working environment at the last Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden. The investigation will include interviewing the song contest delegations, anonymously if they prefer. Several countries like Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Portugal reported an unsafe working environment behind the scenes. There were more than 13 complaints from different delegations after the song contest. The EBU has also confirmed the news. “The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) strives to continuously improve its services and events. To further strengthen the Eurovision Song Contest, we have asked an independent expert to review ESC 2024 in Malmö to share insights and lessons with the EBU’s governing bodies to support the ongoing improvement of this global event,” they stated.

Eurovision 2024: Facts and rumors.

Last week was the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. It looks like this 68th edition will go down as one of the most controversial to date.What has happened, and what is still happening? Eurovision 2024: Facts and rumours: Participation Israel Fact Friction already starts to arise in February 2024.Israel’s submitted song, “October Rain,” is not approved. At first they refused to change the song, until the President of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog, interfered; the song is adapted, and the title is changed (to “Hurricane”).Israel will once again participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, despite protests from many participating countries. Rumor There has been speculation until the first semi-final that Israel will withdraw at the last minute, which, as we all know, did not happen. Disqualification The Netherlands Fact On Friday morning, May 10, it becomes clear that Joost Klein, representing the Netherlands, is not allowed to rehearse at the very last minute. The EBU then announced that an incident had occurred with an employee of a camera crew. Then it remains quiet for almost 24 hours. Joost is not allowed to participate in the jury final on Friday evening, the recording from the 2nd semi-final will be used. Just before the family show starts, on Saturday afternoon, it is announced that the Netherlands will be disqualified. The matter is transferred from the police to the prosecution. The case is expected to be heard in June. After a long silence, Joost announced this week that “he is very sad”, and agrees that he would have pushed the camera, but denies that he touched or threatened the person in question. Rumor Immediately after the incident, pushing the camera/phone away, Joost Klein apologized. From that moment on, the camerawoman in question refused any form of conversation, although she was asked to do so. European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Facts During and after the Festival, the EBU received a lot of criticism, and several complaints were filed: As mentioned earlier: the participation of Israel. Refusing to display flags in the hall, other than those of the participating countries. For example, the European Union and non-binary flags were banned. The booing in the hall was filtered out, and an audio tape of cheering could be heard on TV. The Spanish, Dutch, Irish and Greek delegations have filed official complaints about the behavior of the Israeli delegation ánd the Israelian press. Nothing has been done with these complaints. Joost Klein (The Netherlands) was disqualified, without it being clear what exactly happened. After the festival, several artists opened up about the intimidating and hostile atmosphere behind the scenes. Various broadcasters from participating countries have requested clarification through a so-called “open letter” to the EBU. Rumors Since there was an incident involving a camerawoman, you would think that there should be camera footage. These could be deliberately withheld. Money talks; Since Moroccon Oil, the main sponsor is from Israel, the EBU does not dare to take action against the misconduct of the Israeli delegation and press. The Dutch artist Joost Klein was sacrificed to turn the attention away from the Israeli delegation. It is sad that the victory of Switzerland’s Nemo has been overshadowed by all the commotion. The calls for the resignation of the incumbent board of the EBU in general, and of its chairman Martin Österdahl, are becoming louder and louder.Will the EBU take a good look in the mirror and take its responsibility? To be continued…..

Malmö Messages: Nemo: we need to talk to eachother

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The Code After clinching victory at the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland with ‘The Code,’ Nemo joined the press conference to discuss their triumph. Nemo seemingly unraveled the mystery to winning Eurovision, securing Switzerland’s third win in the contest with their track ‘The Code,’ amassing a total of 591 points. We need to talk with each other Nemo, the contest’s first nonbinary victor, expressed their pride, highlighting the significance of the moment for both themselves and the broader nonbinary and gender fluid communities. They are optimistic about fostering greater empathy and understanding among people. They stated: “We need to talk with each other and I hope tonight can be a way of remembering that.” Grateful Fresh from their performance, Nemo shared their feelings of intense joy and gratitude. They remarked: “I’m mostly just really grateful for this experience and all the friends I’ve made along the way. This was one of the most queer representations we’ve seen at Eurovision which was amazing, I want to shout out all the other queer artists this year.” Nemo also mentioned the difficulty of finding spaces where they can fully express themselve. They advised other artists to focus on what truly matters to them and to create art that is meaningful. To consider Eurovision Nemo talked about ‘The Code’ as a distinctive and impactful song, enhanced by its presentation, extending thanks to their crew. The song emerged from a songwriting workshop where Nemo initially intended to write for others, until they were asked, “Would you consider going to Eurovision yourself?” Nemo added: “[Performing] a song where I speak about my story, having touched so many people and maybe inspired people to stay true to themselves, is the most insane thing that has ever happened to me.” Biel Nemo holds immense pride for their native city of Biel, expressing hope for hosting the contest there, despite its smaller size. They described Biel as a hub of creativity where uniqueness is celebrated and valued positively. They shared: “I’m sending so much love to everyone tonight and I’ll be back soon.”

Malmö Messages: Switzerland wins Eurovision 2024!

For the third time in history, Switzerland has won the Eurovision Song Contest. Nemo took the prize after an exciting voting. They were the clear winner of the jury vote. Other countries did better at the televote, but the number of points Nemo received were enough for a victory! As said, Switzerland won 3 times. The very first contest in 1956 was won by Lys Assia, in 1988 Celine Dion took the trophy home. These are the full results: Switzerland, 591 pts Croatia, 547 pts Ukraine, 453 pts France, 445 pts Israel, 475 pts Ireland, 278 pts Italy, 268 pts Israel, 375 pts Italy, 278 pts Portugal, 152 pts Greece, 126 pts Germany, 117 pts Luxembourg, 103 pts Lithuania, 90 pts Cyprus, 78 pts Latvia, 64 pts Serbia, 54 pts United Kingdom, 46 pts Finland, 38 pts Estonia, 37 pts Georgia, 34 pts Spain, 30 pts Slovenia, 27 pts Austria, 24 pts Norway, 16 pts

Malmö Messages: The Netherlands disqualified

photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming The Netherlands are disqualified and will not perform at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. That is what the EBU just said in this statement: The Dutch artist Joost Klein will not be competing in the Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final. While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest. We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour at our event and are committed to providing a safe and secure working environment for all staff at the Contest. In light of this, Joost Klein’s behaviour towards a team member is deemed in breach of Contest rules. The Grand Final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will now proceed with 25 participating songs. AVROTROS, the Dutch broadcaster, is not amused and also made a statement: We have taken note of the disqualification by the EBU. AVROTROS finds the disqualification disproportionate and is shocked by the decision. We deeply regret this and will come to this later. We of Eurovision Universe agree on the statement of AVROTROS, as a person is not guilty until he is proven guilty. That did not happen yet. However, EBU have decided different.

In the spotlight: Nemo

Tonight the big final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the Malmö Arena. 26 countries compete for the win. One of them is Nemo, representing Switzerland But who is Nemo? Let’s give them a spotlight. Nemo Mettler was born on August 3, 1999 in Biel, Switzerland. They started taking violin lessons at the age of 3. Piano and drum lessons were added later. The name “Nemo” was chosen because of the Latin meaning “nobody”. The underlying idea was: “If you are no one, you can become anything.” Career At the age of thirteen, Nemo played their first theater role in the musical “Ich war noch niemals in New York” (I have never been to New York). This musical was about the Austrian Eurovision winner of 1966; Udo Jurgens. At the age of fifteen, Nemo stepped onto the stage of Switzerland’s got talent, after which their career slowly took off. Their digital debut album “Clownfish” was released in 2015. In 2016, Nemo became famous overnight with an appearance on SRF Virus (#Cypher), which went viral on social media. They then released two EPs, sending seven songs straight onto the official Swiss Singles Chart. subtiteling available In 2020, Nemo began writing and producing for other artists, and also released songs in English during that period. In their music, Nemo addresses themes such as gender identity, mental health and finding your place in this world. The Song In “The Code”, Nemo describes the search for themselves, and chose to do so in a jubilant and funny manner, rather than using sadness. They submitted this song to the Swiss broadcaster SRF.A panel of at least 240 international members of the public jury and a 30-strong international jury of experts from 20 countries selected the entry for the country from 472 entries. Switzerland and the Eurovision Song Contest Switzerland hosted the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956, a contest that they also won with Lys Assia. It wasn’t until 1988 that Switzerland would win the contest again with Celine Dion. In 2021 Switzerland finished 3rd with Gjon’s Tears. This was Switzerland’s first top three result since 1993. Will Nemo win the contest, and become Switzerland’s third winner? Tonight we will know.

Malmö Messages: Nothing clear about Joost Klein

Still, everything is uncertain about the fate of Joost Klein. The Swedish police have completed their investigation into Klein. There is a complaint about Joost Klein; he is said to have threatened a Eurovision television employee. Witnesses and Joost himself have already been interviewed. The conclusions of the investigation will be handed over to the public prosecutor’s office. They will make a decision within a few weeks. However, decisions must also be made about tonight’s broadcast. Currently, there are talks between Dutch broadcasting Corporations NPO and Avrotros, and EBU. Meanwhile, the Rest Of The World voting, which was supposed to have started, did not start yet. In short: nothing is clear yet. We will keep you updated.

🇳🇱 Malmö Messages: Joost Klein did not rehearse

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett During the first dress rehearsal this afternoon, the Dutch entrant Joost Klein did not perform. He was present during the opening. After Luxembourg performed, Joost’s keyboard was brought on stage…. and brought off. Instead, the Israeli contestant Eden Golan, who is 6th in line right after Joost, performed. The EBU released a statement: We are currently investigating an incident that was reported to us involving the Dutch artist. He will not be rehearsing until further notice. We have no further comment at this time and will update in due course. No decision seems to have been made yet. Footage of Joost of last evening’s semifinal was shown during the rehearsal.