The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Executive Producer, Michael Krön, has joined the ESC Reference Group.
Michael Krön, the ESC 2026 Executive Producer, has joined the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group. Michael Kron is currently ORF’s Chief Television Producer.
About Michael Krön
Michael Krön was born in 1972 and has worked for ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) since 2000, initially as a producer in the programming department of ORF Sports. Between 2007 and 2010, he was Head of Programming at ORF Information, and from 2011 to 2012, he headed the Education and Current Affairs Department. From 2012 onward, Krön headed program development and quality management for the Information, Documentary, Sports, and Culture departments. Since 2018, Michael Krön has been responsible for finances at ORF’s Program Directorate, and since 2019, he has been a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna for “TV Programming and Production Planning.”
The ESC Reference Group
Hence currently there are 9 members in the Reference Group. The EBU is yet to include the new Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor.
The Reference Group Members:
- Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE/Spain)- Chair
- Ms. Carla Bugalho –(RTP/Portugal) (Eurovision 2018 Executive Producer) Elected Member
- Molly Plank (DR/Denmark)- Elected Member
- Claudia Van Der Pas (AVROTROS/ Netherlands)- Elected Member
- Mr. Moritz Stadler (SSR-SRG/Switzerland)(Eurovision 2025 co Executive Producer)
- Ebba Adielsson (SVT/Sweden) (Eurovision 2024 Executive Producer)
- Michael Kron (ORF/Austria) (Eurovision 2026 Executive Producer)
- David Tseruyan ( AMPTV) – Invited Member
- Tomislav Stengl (HRT)- Invited Member
Hence we have 5 Heads of Delegation in the Reference Group: Portugal, Denmark, Netherlands, Armenia and Croatia.
About 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
