Asia-Pacific Song Contest on the plan again; now by Australian Broadcaster SBS

by Gil Laufer 445 views

Back in 2008 it was announced that an Asia-Pacific version of the Eurovision Song Contest, entitled Our Sound and produced by a Singapore-based Company, will premiere in 2009. Unfortunately, such a contest never took place but the Australian Broadcaster SBS has now signed an exclusive option with EBU for producing such a contest and make this idea come alive.

Instead of Our Sound, two shows were established by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) in 2012, which gave the Asia-Pacific countries the opportunity to showcase their national talents:

  • ABU Radio Song Festival – with an internal semifinal and a TV-broadcasted final
  • ABU TV Song Festival – a non-competitive gala

South-Korean band TVXQ! performing Catch me in ABU TV Song Festival 2012

SBS and its production partners Blink TV are now exploring the opportunity of bringing the true Eurovision Song Contest experience to their region, bringing up to twenty countries together for an extraordinary one-night live competition, that is planned to be held for the first time in Australia in 2017, and then will move on to be hosted by other countries in the region.

“As the official broadcaster of Eurovision for over 30 years, SBS is pleased to explore the opportunity to bring an event of this calibre more closely to our shores, strengthening the multicultural ties in our region. Asia Pacific has a spectacular music culture and the perfect next step to extend the Eurovision brand, bringing its hugely popular appeal beyond Australian audiences and to the wider region.”, said Michael Ebeid, SBS Managing Director.

Over the next few months, the idea will be discussed with potential sponsors, commercial partners and regional broadcasters, in order to make it happen.

Australia took part in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2015 as special guests, and will take part again this year, being represented by Dani Im and her song Sound of silence. She will participate in the first half of the second semifinal on 12 May.

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for more news regarding Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest.