Eurovision 2014: Confirmed Countries

[Paddy]

In one way I don't understand that they still want to be in a contest where juries vote against them for picking genuine entries, but I guess I'm happy they still give it a chance.

This was only in the last 2 years.. In 2011 they almost qualified thanks to the juries...

 

[DanielLuis]

This was only in the last 2 years.. In 2011 they almost qualified thanks to the juries...

And 2011 should have qualified. Great song
Bulgaria is one of the most underrated countries lately IMO. I liked 2011 and 2013 from the moment I listened to them, and wanted them to qualify. I didn0t like "Love unlimited" that much in 2012, but it has grown on me a lot since.

 

[CC92]

In one way I don't understand that they still want to be in a contest where juries vote against them for picking genuine entries, but I guess I'm happy they still give it a chance.

This was only in the last 2 years.. In 2011 they almost qualified thanks to the juries...

Na inat was neither in the 'jury'-only Top10 nor unorthodox or leftfield in any way possible. I agree though given how poor the general song quality was that year it shouldf passed with ease.

 

[Paddy]

And 2011 should have qualified. Great song
Bulgaria is one of the most underrated countries lately IMO. I liked 2011 and 2013 from the moment I listened to them, and wanted them to qualify. I didn0t like "Love unlimited" that much in 2012, but it has grown on me a lot since.

I can agree with you on every point I just loved Na inat and Samo Shampioni. Love Unlimited was okay for me, but it was fair that it failed to qualify.

 

[A-lister]

I can agree with you on every point I just loved Na inat and Samo Shampioni. Love Unlimited was okay for me, but it was fair that it failed to qualify.

It was never fair in either occasion, the fact that juries prefer imported cheesy dated Disney stuff unrelated to the country presenting it over stuff like "Samo Shampioni" is the proof of what's wrong with ESC today and why they (juries) should be kicked out. The fact that Bulgaria is being this patient with such an awful system and mistreatment is noble I guess. If I'd be them I'd just give EBU the middle finger up and say "hey, if we're only allowed to qualify if we send a wailing singer with a Swedish written americanized entry in English, then we won't take part in your game anymore... this should be a contest for European music, and Bulgarian music is part of that, and if you don't like us we won't compromise our sound to your limited vision of how music should be!". More countries should follow suit and simply withdraw as a protest to the anti-national juries!

 

[SRBIJA]

Na Inat should have qualified indeed


And happy to see in!

 

[Paddy]

It was never fair in either occasion, the fact that juries prefer imported cheesy dated Disney stuff unrelated to the country presenting it over stuff like "Samo Shampioni" is the proof of what's wrong with ESC today and why they (juries) should be kicked out. The fact that Bulgaria is being this patient with such an awful system and mistreatment is noble I guess. If I'd be them I'd just give EBU the middle finger up and say "hey, if we're only allowed to qualify if we send a wailing singer with a Swedish written americanized entry in English, then we won't take part in your game anymore... this should be a contest for European music, and Bulgarian music is part of that, and if you don't like us we won't compromise our sound to your limited vision of how music should be!". More countries should follow suit and simply withdraw as a protest to the anti-national juries!

Seriously you are exaggerating. It's not like they are voting just for English entries for example. "Suus" last year for example or the Italian entries always finish higher in the voting than in the televoting. The same with Moldova this year for example.

 

[A-lister]

Seriously you are exaggerating. It's not like they are voting just for English entries for example. "Suus" last year for example or the Italian entries always finish higher in the voting than in the televoting. The same with Moldova this year for example.

I think I wrote more than "English" in my comment? And of course you can find single examples, but in general the juries vote for safe entries with a slightly dated westernized/americanized sound. Language is just one of many issues here.

 

[DanielLuis]

I think I wrote more than "English" in my comment? And of course you can find single examples, but in general the juries vote for safe entries with a slightly dated westernized/americanized sound. Language is just one of many issues here.

They're not as bad as you say. Sure they might be unfair to one song or the other every year but so is the televoting.
I mean look at Moldova this year. If it was 100% televoting they wouldn't have qualified which would have been tragic! Juries also make mistakes, I'm not denying that (Montenegro this year). But to act like the juries are horrible and the results would be completely fair with just televoting is just ridiculous and biased.I mean look at the 2004-2008 results.
The better system is, for sure, 50/50.

Anyway Im very happy Bulgaria is in and I want them to do well, with a good song obviously.

 

[CC92]

Well, at the end of the day it all cometh down to personal taste. and were my Top-2 of that semi and I definitely preferred them qualifying instead of 's standard ballad. Hence I am a strong proponent of a democracic vote rather than giving 50 per cent of the power to small groups of arbitrarily chosen pseudo 'pop music industry experts' who punish more or less everything that is slightly leftfield or folksy.

 

[A-lister]

They're not as bad as you say. Sure they might be unfair to one song or the other every year but so is the televoting.
I mean look at Moldova this year. If it was 100% televoting they wouldn't have qualified which would have been tragic! Juries also make mistakes, I'm not denying that (Montenegro this year). But to act like the juries are horrible and the results would be completely fair with just televoting is just ridiculous and biased.I mean look at the 2004-2008 results.
The better system is, for sure, 50/50.

Anyway Im very happy Bulgaria is in and I want them to do well, with a good song obviously.

What's wrong with the 2004-2008 results? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying juries are all wrong and televoting are all right, but generally speaking I do think televoters have an more open mind than the juries and in the end of the day I believe in democracy.

But yeah, I don't want biased diaspora votes to influence too much either, so surely it's a tricky situation. I feel like I've already gone a bit too off-topic in this thread, but I've been given plenty of suggestions on how to deal with jury votes in a more constructive ways in other threads.

As for Bulgaria, I am happy they're not giving up, but in the meantime they've been so unfairly treated by the juries that I would also support them if they decided to leave in protest.

 

[DanielLuis]

What's wrong with the 2004-2008 results? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying juries are all wrong and televoting are all right, but generally speaking I do think televoters have an more open mind than the juries and in the end of the day I believe in democracy.

But yeah, I don't want biased diaspora votes to influence too much either, so surely it's a tricky situation. I feel like I've already gone a bit too off-topic in this thread, but I've been given plenty of suggestions on how to deal with jury votes in a more constructive ways in other threads.

As for Bulgaria, I am happy they're not giving up, but in the meantime they've been so unfairly treated by the juries that I would also support them if they decided to leave in protest.

Indeed. If the televote didn't have biased diaspora and neighbour voting I'd be more than happy to have 100% televoting, but as that's impossible I prefer the 50/50 system. Let's end this off-topic then

 

[A-lister]

Indeed. If the televote didn't have biased diaspora and neighbour voting I'd be more than happy to have 100% televoting, but as that's impossible I prefer the 50/50 system. Let's this off-topic then

Before leaving the topic totally though, I must add that juries aren't unbiased either and we see political and neighboring voting even amongst them, so it's not as if they're immune to all that.

But yeah, let's go back

 

[FilipFromSweden]

I don't know what to think about jury.
Some results were horrible without 'em.
But lately jurys haven't helped as much as I'd like 'em to.
Bulgaria, San Marino and Croatia missed the final thanks to them this year and same thing for Bulgaria and Switzerland last year. All these entries were favorites and uh, finals are still pretty unfair.

And jurys technically love diaspora, Romania still loves Moldova and Cyprus loves Greece and The Nordic Family is having a party.
And Russia gets all the votes they need.

 

[Paddy]

But lately jurys haven't helped as much as I'd like 'em to.
Bulgaria, San Marino and Croatia missed the final thanks to them this year and same thing for Bulgaria and Switzerland last year. All these entries were favorites and uh, finals are still pretty unfair.

San Marino could hasn't qualified because of the public not because of the juries.

 

[esc87fan]

San Marino could hasn't qualified because of the public not because of the juries.

The juries had San Marino 10th this year, the televoters put it 12th

 

[DanielLuis]

The juries had San Marino 10th this year, the televoters put it 12th

Which confirms Paddy's point.

 

[Paddy]

San Marino could hasn't qualified because of the public not because of the juries.

Omg when did I write this? could hasn't qualified?? I'm ashamed of my English..

 

[FilipFromSweden]

Oh, right! Now I remember it, that is actually an example I want them to stay but still not.

 

[A-lister]

No surprise really, but since there were some odd early rumors about a potential withdrawal, Ukraine has confirmed and the NF will be held on 21st of December already: Ukraine: National final on December 21 -