Portugese broadcaster,RTP, are still looking into their method of selecting Portugal's next Eurovision Song Contest entry. They will reach next month a final decision on the way the singers and songwriters for next year's Festival da Canção will be selected. RTP are considering inviting contestants of the ongoing Operação Triunfo.

The team behind the preparations for 2008isworking out waysto ensure the best line up of artists and music producers for the 2008 Festival da Canção. After the 2008 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, a meeting will take place todecide the details on the preparation of the national final. The decision is usually taken by members of the board of directors and also producers of RTP.

For the moment many cards are on the table and variousissues are under consideration. The main concern is finding talentedpeople with good voices and experience without discarding the possibility of new names in the music business.Talks with various singers have been taking place for months and they may include addressing invitations to contestants of Operação Triunfo.

The pop-idol style show started in September and will last until the end of 2007.However, the 2004 formula where only the winners were given songs was set aside. RTP has also received some proposals from artists who intend to take part and they will be considered as possible participants.

The decisionon the winning song in the Portuguesenational finalwill be madebya mixture of televote and a jury. The reason for this is to avoid the most popular singers getting most of the votes regardless of the song.The show may include up to 12 songs. In 2007, Portugal missedout onqualification for the Eurovision Song Contest final in Helsinki by only three points and one single place, ending up11th in the semifinal with the song Dança Comigo.