While the Eurovision Song Contest has grown to an event with a record amount of 40 participating countries, also the Junior Eurovision Song Contest is getting more popular. The European Broadcasting Union will however limit the expansion of the junior event which will be held for the third time on 26th November 2005 in Hasselt, Belgium.
After some research, esctoday.com came to the conclusion that at least 5 countries are showing interest in joining the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2005. 16 countries participated at the first edition in Copenhagen in 2003. In Lillehammer 2004, France and Switzerland joined. Another 5 countries joining the contest, which will only be organised for the third time, might be a too big expansion.
Therefore esctoday.com passed the question to Ludo Porrez, producer of the 2005 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. “There has not been taken a decision yet about the number of participants,” he explains “but the aim is to limit the expansion. There are indeed several countries who want to join.”
Ludo Porrez also informed us that the preparations for the production of the upcoming Junior Eurovision Song Contest have started today. Flemish broadcaster VRT and RTBF, broadcaster of the French community in Belgium, will organise the third edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest together. VRT however is host broadcaster of the international event while RTBF is mainly responsible for the production of the Belgian national Junior Eurovision Song Contest selections.
The 2005 Junior Eurovision Song Contest takes place on 26th November in the Ethias Arena of Hasselt, a brand new venue with a maximum capacity for 21.600 people.
