The Eurovision Song Contest, the world’s largest non-sporting TV event, was seen by almost 200 million viewers in its 60^th anniversary year. The 3 live shows from Vienna, Austria on 19, 21 and 23 May reached 197 million people in 40 countries – 2 million more than in 2014.

The 2015 Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest achieved, on average, an audience share of 39.6% across 40 markets – more than double the average prime-time viewing share for the same group of channels (16.4%) and a 6% increase in TV viewing share versus the 2014 Grand Final.

EBU’s Director General Ingrid Deltenre is very proud of the great viewing figures has commented:

We are immensely proud that in its 60^th year the Eurovision Song Contest has, once again, proved essential viewing for nearly 200 million people around the world.

The ratings for this year’s excellent co-production with EBU Member Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) show that public service broadcasters are delivering the top quality entertainment that their audiences want to see and that after 60 years the Eurovision Song Contest still has the power to unite viewers of all ages across the globe.

The Eurovision Song Contest was a huge draw for hard-to-reach younger audiences. On average 44.8% of 15-24 year olds watching TV in 40 countries saw the Grand Final –  8% up on 2014’s figures and more than 4 times the average prime-time viewing share of young adults for the same group of channels (11.1%).

Host country Austria saw its largest TV audience of the last decade for the Grand Final. 1.7 million Austrians tuned in for the 4 hour spectacular, accounting for 59.9% of TV viewing on May 23.

Iceland delivered the largest viewing share of all 40 countries. Despite not qualifying from their Semi-final, 95.5% of those watching TV in the country saw the Grand Final.

Winner Sweden gained the second highest viewing share. An enormous 85.6% of TV viewers tuned in to watch Måns Zelmerlöw bring his country its 6^th Eurovision victory.

Australia’s debut in the Eurovision Song Contest delivered the country’s biggest ever Song Contest audience -reaching 5.7 million people across both live broadcasts and prime time repeats. The figures were up 27% from 2014 when EBU Associate Member SBS provided an interval act for a Semi Final. Australia was invited to send an entry for the first time in 2015 to mark the Song Contest’s 60^th Anniversary.

ORF’s Director General-Dr Alexander Wrabetz is very pleased with the outcome of the contest and has commented:

Together with our partners at EBU and the host city Vienna we managed to celebrate a great 60th Eurovision Song Contest.It was an honour for us to host the three live shows watched by 197 million viewers worldwide and thereby establish a new record in the history of the Song Contest.

EBU’s Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand oversaw the production in Vienna and has commented:

I warmly congratulate ORF on producing 3 spectacular live shows. It was a pleasure to work so closely with their team who put all their energies into making the 60^th Eurovision Song Contest so special. We now look forward to building on their great work with next year’s hosts SVT in Sweden.

The Grand Final of the 60^th Eurovision Song Contest was also broadcast by 20 EBU Radio Members.

The Eurovision Song Contest was awarded a Guinness World Record in 2015 for being the Longest Running Annual Television Music Competition. The event was also signed for the first time for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on the Eurovision Song Contest!