BB FANS

Eurovision Rule Changes

Eurovision Song Contest organisers have spoken of banning countries from the competition if broadcasters disclose information about voters' identities.

It comes after a number of people in Azerbaijan were questioned by police after voting for a song by neighbouring Armenia in this year's contest.

Phone companies had been responsible for protecting voters' details, but now broadcasters will shoulder the burden.

Sanctions against offending countries could be a ban of up to three years.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said the rule change was to ensure the protection of voters' privacy.

Last month, an Azerbaijani man told the BBC he had been accused of being unpatriotic and a "potential security threat", after he sent a text backing Armenia's song, Jan Jan.

The country's authorities said people had merely been invited to explain why they voted for Armenia.

The two states fought over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in the 1990s.

Armenia's Inga and Anush perform at the Eurovision Song Contest
The EBU's director general, Jean Reveillon, said violating the privacy of voters "or interrogation of individuals... is totally unacceptable".

As it does not have the ability to penalise telephone companies, the body said it would impose sanctions against broadcasters "for any disclosure of information which could be used to identify voters".

waveguide.co.uk

Pete Waterman will be behind Britain's entry for this years Eurovision Song Contest.

Waterman will create a track to be performed at the pop contest in Oslo in May.

Thanks for that Madeline I wonder if they will choose the singer the same way as they did last year?

Boyzone's Mikey in Eurovision bid


Boyzone's Mikey Graham is making a bid for Eurovision glory as Ireland's entry in this year's song contest.

The 37-year-old singer - currently competing in ITV1's Dancing On Ice - has written a song for his wife Karen, called Baby, Nothing's Wrong, which is among the five tracks shortlisted for Ireland's Eurovision 2010 entry.

belfasttelegraph

Simon Cowell Looks To Eurovision

Simon Cowell wants to win the Eurovision Song Contest.

The music mogul is keen to add to his reputation by entering the winning song in the annual competition.

Pete Waterman – who appeared alongside Simon as a judge on Pop Idol and is writing this year’s UK entry – told Radio Times magazine: “I have a sneaky suspicion this will needle him more than anything else I’ve done. The one thing he’s always wanted to do is Eurovision.”

A singer for the song will be found next month through BBC show ‘Your Country Needs You’ and Pete is keen to do better than last year’s Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entrant, which came fifth and was sung by now-Sugababes singer Jade Ewen.

Pete – who will write the song with old partner Mike Stock – said: “I wouldn’t be doing it this year if it wasn’t for Webber. At least he failed – I can’t do any worse than he has.”

This year’s contest will take place in Oslo, Norway, on May 29.

waveguide.co.uk

He can do worse - we could come last!! Lloyd Webber didn't do too bad really considering.

I think there are some good entries this year, so he needs to come up with something good - but then who knows what's good in that competition?

X Factor contestants in bid for Eurovision glory

Miss Fitz was one of the stand out acts of The X Factor auditions 2009. Although they didn’t make it into the live finals, the girls’jazzy arrangements of chart hits clearly left an impression on music lovers and now, they are fighting for the spot to represent the UK in this years Eurovision song contest.

STV.tv

Ireland - Eurovision

Former Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh is to represent Ireland at the 55th Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo in May.

The winning song - 'It's For You' - topped both the public televote and regional jury vote on last night’s Late Late Show, in Ireland.

Niamh Kavanagh first won the Eurovision Song Contest held in Millstreet in 1993.

She will now compete in the semi-final on Thursday May 27 for a place in the grand final on Saturday May 29.

waveguide.co.uk

Tom Shields on ... independence in Eurovision

In May, Scotland will miss a chance to assert its independence and take a place in the community of nations.

This is not any forecast on SNP performance in the Westminster elections. It’s the Eurovision Song Contest.

Once more we will compete in Europe’s premier cultural event under the Union flag. Once more we will share failure.

This year’s song is That Sounds Good to Me.

It doesn’t.!!!

Herald

Eurovision – the good, the bad and the freaky

Oh dear lord, what a sad year this is for Eurovision fans. Unless something major happens, it’s all set up to be a snoozefest.

The one ray of light: Greece. Includes neon lit drum banging!

Hear Greece, UK and Serbia's entries at this link

Eurovision Song Contest

Nineteen-year-old Josh Dubovie is on his way to Oslo to compete in the 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest as the UK entry. He will be taking to the stage in the Telenor Arena to perform That Sounds Good To Me.

Pete Waterman wrote the song with Mike Stock and Steve Crosby and with it he hopes to impress the 18,000 strong crowd in the arena, as well as the millions of worldwide viewers.

Graham Norton is once again on hand as commentator for the night's events, live on BBC One and BBC HD at 20:00 on Saturday May 29.

Josh Dubovie won the public vote on Your Country Needs You! and, since winning, has been busy preparing and promoting the song.

With the hopes of the nation resting on his shoulders, Dubovie will perform the song 12th – out of the 25 countries taking part in the final.

A mix of 39 countries will compete this year and, for the third time in the history of the Contest, 20 of the 25 countries represented in the final will be decided through two semi-finals, broadcast live on BBC Three at 20:00 on Tuesday 26 and Thursday 27 May.

Ten countries from each semi-final will go through to Saturday's final along with the big four – the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain – plus last year's winners, Norway.

Paddy O'Connell returns for his sixth contest to give commentary on the semi-finals, joined by co-presenter Sarah Cawood.

Of the 39 songs, over 20 will be sung in English, while the rest will be sung in at least one other language.
waveguide.co.uk