In a recent interview published at the OGAE Malta official site, Matteo Aldrovandi, President of OGAE Italy, was asked whether they had done anything to put pressure on RAI to return to the contest. Also he was asked what he thought was the real reason behind RAI�s refusal to re-enter the Eurovision Song Contest. In an update earlier today, Alvrovanti tells us that already the situation has changed, there are now new people at RAI and they are interested in returning to the Eurovision Song Contest!
Matteo Adrovandi said that they have been in touch both with RAI and Sanremo Festival Committee repeatedly only to be refused flatly. He believes the true reason to be that RAI doesn’t want to spend a whole lot of money on a competition practically unknown in Italy. Eurovision would be broadcast at Prime Time on a Saturday evening, where rating’s battle between RAI and Berlusconi’s Television peaks, and RAI is unwilling to risk it. Besides both RAI and sponsors prefer the safe bet of the Sanremo Festival Week with the guaranteed average 15 million viewers and the international acclaim.
It doesn’t help sales
“Italian People prefer Sanremo Festival, but not for the Artists… we know that attending Sanremo is not helping selling more records at all.” continued Mr Adrovandi. It's because it's "an event"… that's why in 4 hour of a single show, you hear very few songs, and a lot of people speaking… This is typical Italian!”. The full interview can be found at the OGAE Malta website.
The sad fact is that nowhere did Eurovision Song Contest become so popular overnight. Since that first Song Contest back in 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland it has seen many ups and downs, but has triumphed in the end, becoming one of the most popular Song Contests on the planet. All it needed was to be given a chance to be heard. Of course, negotiations are believed to be taking place between Italian broadcasters and the EBU, so this situation does seem to be changing.
The return of Italy to the Eurovision Song Contest would be a very popular move for most fans and the viewers of the competition. Italy has a strong history in the competition, with two wins, and their 1958 entry, Nel blu dipinto di blu went on to become one of the most recognisable songs of the twentieth century (although the song is better known as Volare).
UPDATE – IMMEDIATE DEVELOPMENT
In an update to this interiew, Matteo Aldrovandi informs esctoday.com that: "I just can tell you that RAI now seems very interested to return to the Eurovision Song Contest. There are serious contacts for 2007, and we will know something more precise in the coming days. There are new people involved in RAI now, so something might change in a near future".
