The Croatian Head of Delegation, Tomislav Štengl, has joined the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group.

Tomislav Stengl has been working at HRT as a producer and editor. He has been the Croatian Head of Delegation in recent years. He has been invited to join the Eurovision Reference Group, thus bringing the number of members to eleven.

Tomioslav Stengl has great experience when it comes to television production and has been involved in the production of the Croatian national final – Dora.

The Refence Group

The Reference Group was formed by the European Broadcasting Union’s Television Committee in 1998. The Group meets up 5-6 times a year.

The main tasks of the body include approving format developments and changes to the rules, securing financing, modernizing the brand and raising awareness of the Eurovision Song Contest and overseeing the yearly preparation by the Host Broadcaster.

The Reference Group is composed of a Chairman, three members elected by the Heads of Delegation, two Executive Producers from previous host countries, as well as the Executive Producer of the current Host Broadcaster. The EBU’s Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor is also a member of the Reference Group.

The Reference Group has a possibility to invite up to 2 extra professionals to join the group.

The Reference Group currently consists of the following members:

• Bakel Walden (SSR SRG/Switzerland))(Chairman)
• Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE)- Elected Member
• Mr. Martin Osterdahl- (EBU Representative)
• Ms. Carla Bugalho –(RTP/Portugal) (Eurovision 2018 Executive Producer) Elected Member
• Mr. Felix Bergsson (RUV/Iceland) Elected Member
• Simona Martorelli -(RAI/Italy) (Eurovision 2o22 Executive Producer)
• Claudio Fasulo (RAI/Italy) (Eurovision 2022 Executive Producer)
• Alexandra Wolflast  (NDR/ Germany) Elected Member
• Tomislav Stengl (HRT/Croatia)
• Rachel Ashdown (BBC/United Kingdom) (Lead Commissioner for BBC at Eurovision 2023)
• Ebba Adielsson (SVT/Sweden) (Eurovision 2024 Executive Producer)

The current Reference Group includes the Heads of Delegation from Italy Germany, Iceland, Spain, Croatia and Portugal.

The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group is the executive Committee for all Members, its purpose being to control and guide the Eurovision Song Contest and meets four to five times each year on behalf of all Participating Broadcasters, and is required to take decisions in the general interest of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Source: EBU

 

Source: EBU
Photo credit: HRT