The leader of OGAE Norway, Kato Hansen, writes on the website of his organization that the producer of Melodi Grand Prix 2003 told him that the event has been delayed two weeks from February 15th till March 1st.

According to Kato Hansen, the Norwegian broadcaster NRK is planning to increase the profesionalism in every step of the process related to Melodi Grand Prix 2003. To achieve this goal, NRK will need to prolong the selection process. This is mainly to assure that the artists participating in the national final will represent the utmost standard.

OGAE Norway, represented by Kato Hansen, has been invited to take part in this process. Another integrated part in this plan to increase the overall quality, is to release a compilation CD including all the participating songs in Melodi Grand Prix 2003. The last time such a CD was released was more than a decade ago, in the spring of 1992. This is a clear signal from the broadcaster that mayor changes are under way.

The number of participating songs in Melodi Grand Prix 2003 is more likely to be twelve than ten, partly because of the CD project and partly due to the increased backing the event is getting from the Norwegian broadcaster. The concept of a super final, where the three or four most popular songs from the televoting are performed for a second time, will most certainly proceed next year.

With this postponement of Melodi Grand Prix 2003, the Norwegian and Dutch national finals will both take place March 1st on the same Saturday evening.

This news has not yet been officially confirmed by the Norwegian broadcaster NRK.