TVR and EBU gave a joint press conference today Wednesdsay 29 November, at 11.00, at the Sala Polivalenta, in Bucharest. Svante Stockselius, Executive Supervisor, European Broadcasting Union (EBU) together with TVR officials revealed to the press the concept and many details of what we are to experience on Saturday December 2nd, during the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. After the press conference, our partner site, 12points.tv recorded an interview with hosts, Ioana and Andreea, which you can watch at the end of the article.
Approximately 25 million viewers from Europe are estimated to watch 2006 Junior Eurovision Song Contest this year! “We have been working hard with the professionals from TVR for almost a year to offer an extraordinary show on Saturday night”, also said the EBU official. He reminded that, for the first time, the 2006 JESC viewers will be able to vote during the whole show, since the time for the tele-vote is no longer limited to several minutes. Thus, technical problems caused by the blocking of the voting lines will be avoided, explained Svante Stockselius.
Mioara Negescu, Project Manager of the event from TVR said that : “The 2006 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, the first TVR event broadcast live in so many other countries, is an opportunity for TVR to show what we can do”. Then she went on to present Dan Manoliu, the TVR Creative Director and father of the whole artistic part of this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest.
Mr Manoliu explained that they aimed at giving back the Junior Eurovision Song Contest to the children, making the stage extra “child friendly” and the graphics especially made to appeal to kids.The slogan of the 2006 Junior Eurovision Song Contest “Let the Music Play!” is a word play referring to music as well as game games, two integral parts of a child’s psychology.
Dracula on the way
Mr Manoliu revealed that the hosts of the show, Andreea Marin Bănică and Ioana Ivan, will be accompanied by a surprise character: a universally known Romanian figure, Count Dracula himself, who "has been drinking only water fro the past two generations!".
The opening act
It will be a very original opening act, the Creative Director assured us. “It is built like a dream that Ioana has, with many characters: 15 children, champions from the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, plus characters from the Bucharest State Circus. The opening act also includes a “fight” between street dance and a traditional Romanian dance, as well as an appearance of the three representatives of Romania in previous Junior Eurovision Song Contests.” And of course we will have the opportunity to see briefly Mihai Trăistariu, the Romanian representative at 2006 Eurovision Song Contest in Athens.
The 2006 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast by the 15 competing countries, but also by Bosnia-Herzegovina, Andorra, Australia and live on the internet, all over the world. In Romania, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest is particularly popular. Last year’s final was watched by 2.5 million Romanians, a number expected to rise significantly this year as Romania is hosting the show.
Click the 'play' icon below to view 12points.tv's interview with hosts Andreea and Ioana:
