It seems like TRT is about to implement the two-tiered national final system and televoting.
According to the first-hand information obtained from a TRT official, the Turkish State Broadcaster is about to make a final decision, which will open up the way for the implementation of a two-tiered national final and a televoting system. After a few touch-ups, it is expected that TRT will make its final decision during an official meeting on February 15th. However, the same source confirmed that this decision is pretty much a final one.
Few days ago we reported that there were some speculations made about TRT considering to ask a specific composer to compose the entry or ask a popular performer in Turkey to perform a selected entry at the ESC final. However, it seems like this is not the case.
According to the details of the information obtained, TRT will first organize a semi-final, in which 16 entries will compete. A jury will be used-consisting of TRT officials like it was in the past- to determine the 8 entries that will compete in the national final. The entry that will represent Turkey at the ESC final will be determined by 8 regional juries, whose members will consist of people from the public. The dates for these occasions are not known as of yet. Finally, TRT will use televoting to determine the Turkish votes during the ESC Final only. TRT is also about to announce a song submittance period that will begin in September and end some time in December. In the past, the period for submitting songs usually started in August and ended in November.
Using regional juries was a practice that was exercised by TRT in the past. However, if implemented, using the televote system for the purposes of Eurovision Song Contest will be a first.
Esctoday will inform its readers, as soon as possible, once this decision is announced officially by TRT.
