Eurovision 2023: 162 million viewers watch the competition

by Sanjay (Sergio) Jiandani 1,463 views

A whopping 162 million viewers watched the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest which was held in Liverpool earlier this month.

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest was watched by viewers in all five continents achieving great success and ratings amid the competing countries’ national broadcasters. 162 million viewers tuned in watch the competition over the three live shows.

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest was organized by the BBC and the EBU on behalf of UA:PBC and Ukraine.

Noel Curran (EBU Director General) says:

With hundreds of millions tuning in to the live shows on EBU Member channels and record-breaking numbers engaging with the songs and artists on our different digital platforms, the Eurovision Song Contest has never been more popular. Our thanks go to the BBC who worked closely with UA:PBC for organising this incredible showcase of Ukrainian culture and the diversity of European music and creativity.

Martin Österdahl (Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor) says:

The Eurovision Song Contest has proved, once again, that public service media has the power to unite the world through music with a global reach we are hugely proud of. We’re thrilled to see that every year more and more people around the world discover this special event and that it is providing a huge launchpad for new music.

Tim Davie (BBC General Director) says:

We are all incredibly proud to deliver three amazing live shows for record-breaking audiences across globe. The numbers speak for themselves and are a testament to the hard work of our teams at the BBC and our colleagues in Ukraine. This was a Eurovision Song Contest like no other and we couldn’t have been more proud to showcase Ukraine and Liverpool to the rest of the world.

Mykola Chernotytskyi (Head of the Managing Board of UA:PBC,)says:

I am very glad that so many viewers all over the world have watched this year’s unique Eurovision Song Contest.

We know well what massive efforts have been made to produce the shows at such a high level. I am convinced that they will become an example for future host countries of the Contest. I am proud of our collaboration with the BBC, hosting this Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine and showing the world the variety of Ukrainian and UK cultures.

The BBC press release reads:

The Eurovision Song Contest, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), reached 162 million people over the 3 live shows across 38 public service media markets.

The viewing share of the Grand Final on Saturday 13 May was 40.9% and remains more than double the broadcast channels average (17.4%).

Host country the United Kingdom delivered their largest ESC audience on record, with an average of 9.9 million viewers watching the Grand Final on BBC One, up 12% on 2022, with a 63% share of viewers.

The Contest once again proved hugely popular with younger audiences. Among 15–24-year-olds, the viewing share of the Grand Final was 53.5%, remaining four times higher than the broadcast channels average (13.8%).

Sweden, who made history winning the Contest for a 7th time, delivered an average audience of 2.3 million viewers, accounting for 82.3% of all TV viewers in the country.

Last year’s winning country, Ukraine, delivered a viewing share of 19.7%.

In a third of markets (13 out of 39) the ESC claimed over 50% of the viewing share, led by Iceland with 98.7% and followed closely by other Nordic markets (Norway 87.8%, Finland 85.6%, and Sweden 82.3%).

7.6 million people watched the Grand Final live on YouTube with over 3.2 million live views of the Semi-Finals.

On TikTok, the Eurovision Song Contest’s Official Entertainment Partner, the 3 live shows were viewed 4.8 million times.

Regarding the voting the BBC press release goes on to read:

For the first time this year viewers watching in non-participating countries could also cast their votes online for their favourite songs, allowing viewers across the world to share in the Contest’s public service values of inclusivity, diversity, and universality.

Votes were received from 144 countries in total, including the 37 taking part.

Outside the participating countries, viewers in the United States, Canada, Kosovo, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Mexico, Hungary, Slovakia, UAE, Türkiye, and Chile cast the most votes online.

The 2023  Eurovision was broadcast live in the 37 competing countries , Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Chile, USA and online.

Source: BBC
Photo credit: EBU/ Chloe Hashemi