Well, call it what you will, the 'Eurovision Season', the 'Silly Season', the 'National Finals Season' or any other name… There is little more than a week to go before Christmas and we are well and truly under way! Isn't this supposed to be the 'Festive Season? We have five artists chosen, one song announced, a sixth artist due to be named tomorrow by Turkey and a seventh (with the second song of the year) will be chosen next saturday in Albania. Yes that's right, by Christmas day 2006, 1/6 of the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest participants list will be filled in! Ireland, Georgia, Switzerland, Moldova and the Netherlands have announced their artists and Turkey and Albania – for a long time expected to be the first name on the sheet – will join the first five next weekend! Is anyone taking bets on whether the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest CD will be released in time for Christmas next year?
It doesn't bode well for the esctoday.com editorial team's chances of getting amongst the Christmas shoppers! With so much going on so early in the Eurovision world this year, we've hardly had time to make a cup of coffee, let alone write the christmas cards! It certainly doesn't leave much time for a 'website war' that seems to be the talk of some parts of the internet.
In my one and only word on the issue, there is far too much real news and work to be done to worry about petty feuds or personal egos. This website has always been and remains fully focussed on providing accurate and informed news to our readers. If we are to be accused of making war by ensuring that our readers are furnished with correct information, then so-be-it. We are aware of certain acts that have gone on and they have been passed to the correct people to investigate in the correct manner.
Let me assure all of our readers that everyone connected to this website is 100% focussed on delivering all of the news, views, interviews and everything that you, the readers and members, want to see in our coverage of the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest and beyond. We should however state that due to a variety of reasons, the partnership between esctoday.com and oikotimes.com is no longer in place. We would like to wish them luck with their future ventures.
BACK TO THE IMPORTANT STUFF!
Already, we have had anouncements from four countries about who will represent them next year. In addition to that, Moldova became the first country to complete their selection process with a swift decision coming from their internal jury, selecting the song that was a clear favourite amongst esctoday.com readers.
On Thursday, Albania begins its 45th Festival i Kenges, which since their introduction to the Eurovision Song Contest has provided their entry. On Saturday night, they will provide the first entry of the year to be selected by a national final. Belarus broadcast their Eurofest on Friday evening, from which three participants have gone forward for an internal selection process.
esctoday.com is asking our readers, is this all too much too soon? Do you think that the songs for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest should be revealed before the start of the calendar year? Does it help the competition for songs to be revealed five months before the event, or does it risk overkill and fans becoming bored of the songs too soon?
Some fans are thrilled that the songs and participants are coming out or being revealed sooner than ever this time. With 42 participating entries, do they have enough time to make an impression when so many have to be revealed at once? It may well be a tactic from broadcasters to reveal the artists early in order to avoid getting caught in the wave of declarations expected in February. On 3rd of February, there are 10 selection shows scheduled, and more may well be added to this list. We will be covering national finals in Slovenia, Poland and Estonia, along with national finals in Latvia, Norway, Bulgaria,Finland, Iceland and the opening week of Melodifestivalen in Sweden. Denmark separated themselves from the pack by deciding to broadcast their semi finals one day early, on the Friday night.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Do you think that it is a good or bad things for songs to be revealed before January 1st? Should all songs be announced simultaneously? Should the EBU create a timetable to stop bottlenecks such as 3rd February this year to ensure that fans have an opportunity to watch or listen to as many national finals as possible without having so many occuring at once? Have your say in the reactions section below.
