Eurovision 2014: Confirmed Countries

[DanielLuis]

Only a month left for broadcasters to submit their appliacation to enter the ESC.

 

[dragvision]

not Darling ebu have posticipated the date now is in january
ESC 2014: PARTICIPANTS LIST IN JANUARY | OIKOTIMES.COM

 

[DanielLuis]

not Darling ebu have posticipated the date now is in january
ESC 2014: PARTICIPANTS LIST IN JANUARY | OIKOTIMES.COM

No. Broadcasters may send their application til the end of november. They can however pull out till the end of the year. In early January EBU reveals the final list of participants.
Still, if the number of entries is very small, they might accept a country only joining in deceber, who knows.

 

[dragvision]

probabily they can examinated if are few country take part, ebu think to make only one semifinal

 

[DanielLuis]

So let's take a look at the current situation:

CONFIRMED (29):
Albania
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Malta
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Russia
San Marino
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
United Kingdom

OFFICIALLY WITHDRAWN OR NOT RETURNING/DEBUTING (12):
Andorra - Financial difficulties makes it unlikely for RTVA to return in the next few years. They even were to withdraw from EBU altogether, but changed their minds.
Croatia - HRT announced withdrawal last month mostly due to financial reasons, but also with the previous' years low results influencing the decision.
Cyprus - Withdrawal due to financial reasons. Sigma TV has proposed to help CyBC with their participation, but CyBC hasn't said anything official yet, I think
Czech Republic - Due to low results and low viewing figures in their years of participation, CT will not return in 2014 (maybe you should have actually put some effort on your participation? ) However, they say they might return in the next few years, and there were even rumours that they were planning on doing a show together with Slovakia to decide their representatives.
Kazhakstan - K-1 has not been granted EBU membership, and as such a participation of Kazhakstan is still impossible.
Kosovo - Kosovo's minister of foreign affairs had said that Kosovo would be ready to join the ESC. However, RTK is not even a EBU member, and can't become so, as they're not recognized has an independent country by the International Telecommunications Union.
Liechtenstein - 1FLTV is not a member of the EBU yet, has the government hasn't accepted to give the broadcaster the needed financial support to join the organization.
Luxembourg - RTL's chief executive officer has said that Luxembourg shouldn't participate due to the financial burden of potentially hosting the contest (does he even know that winners are not forced to host? xboring) He has not ruled out a return in the next few years though.
Monaco - TMC has officialy confirmed they will not return, without any official reason given. (Probably financial though)
Morroco - SNRT will not participate in 2014, but they have not ruled out a possible return in the next few years.
Slovakia - RTVS confirmed via twitter that they will not participate.

UNDECIDED:
Most likely to participate (7):
Armenia - ARMTV have said nothing officially, but it's almost certain they wil participate. They will even continue to participate in the JESC.
Azerbaijan - Same as Armenia.
Italy - No official confirmation, but it's more than likely that RAI will continue to participate in the contest.
Moldova - Same has Italy, specially considering they will participate in the JESC.
Romania - Same situation.
Serbia - RTS' director has said that Serbia should continue participating, has they have a story of good results in the contest. He even said "In football, Serbia persistently plays in the Qualifications for the European Championships, without achieving positive results. Seeing as no one is asking for the football team to quit playing the Qualifications, why would then Serbia withdraw from Eurovision?" Still, financial problems are still a problem, and that's the only thing that may make Serbia withdraw.
Slovenia - RTVSLO has not made their final decision, but they have said they will most likely participate in 2014.

Undecided (3):
Bosnia and Herzegovina - BHRT has not made a final decision. What's keeping them at bay are the financial difficulties.
Poland - TVP has said that they'll make their decision on autumn 2013 (still waiting). They're reasons for withdrawal were financial difficulties, but mostly the low results and amount of interest by the Polish public.
Portugal - RTP has been said to make a decision in October/November 2014. They said when they withdrawen in 2014 that it would probably be only a one year break, and their finances and general situation is better. They broadcasted the entire 2013 contest as well.

Most likely not to participate (2):
Greece - EBU said that due to the broadcaster's unique situation, they may grant NERIT a membership easily, so they can participate in the 2014 ESC. Still, only one month to go and NERIT has not started operating yet, let alone be granted a EBU membership. And even if they are, I don't know if they'll have the finances to participate. Seems very unlikely.
Turkey - TRT said that while the 50/50 and the big 5 rule remain, Turkey will hardly return to the contest. However, they where going to have a meeting with EBU to discuss their participation. Haven't heard anything else about it. Still seems, highly unlikely we'll have Turkey back.


So in worst case scenario we'll have around 35 countries. Best case scenario, 40. My guess is 37 (all of the already confirmed countries + the most likely ones to participate. Then between BH, Portugal and Poland I think only 1 will participate, at most 2, Portugal and BH.) So I thinks it's most likely that we'll have the smallest number of participants since 2006, or even 2004 (if only 35 or 36 participate).
If the two semi format is to remain, it might have to be redesigned, if the participants are just 35 or 36.

 

[Leydan]

So in worst case scenario we'll have around 35 countries. Best case scenario, 39. My guess is 37 (all of the already confirmed countries + the most likely ones to participate. Then between BH, Portugal and Poland I think only 1 will participate, at most 2, Portugal and BH.) So I thinks it's most likely that we'll have the smallest number of participants since 2006, or even 2004 (if only 35 or 36 participate).
If the two semi format is to remain, it might have to be redesigned, if the participants are just 35 or 36.

That's what i think it will be. 29+7 most likely (you forgot Romania, it hasn't said ought but i wouldn't imagine them withdrawing) Then out of the middle 3 i think we will only see Portugal returning. Poland i don't imagine happening, nor do B+H. so Most likely 37 at the least, which is quite a shame to be honest. i think also you can place Turkey in the withdrawn or Not returning/debuting part. Small semi's i think might make it easier for small countries that don't traditionally qualify that often like San Marino, Montenegro and even Switzerland these days, too qualify.

 

[DanielLuis]

That's what i think it will be. 29+7 most likely (you forgot Romania, it hasn't said ought but i wouldn't imagine them withdrawing) Then out of the middle 3 i think we will only see Portugal returning. Poland i don't imagine happening, nor do B+H. so Most likely 37 at the least, which is quite a shame to be honest. i think also you can place Turkey in the withdrawn or Not returning/debuting part. Small semi's i think might make it easier for small countries that don't traditionally qualify that often like San Marino, Montenegro and even Switzerland these days, too qualify.

Added Romania and adjusted the rest of the post
I agree with everything else. The only reason I didn't put Turkey in the completely withdrawn is because they're going to have that meeting with EBU. Still, it does seem impossible for them to return.
Out of the middle three I also think that Portugal has the highest chance to return, specially considering RTP did the coverage of ESC 2013 pretty much the same as in the previous years, but I'm still not compeltely sure.
And yes small semis make it easier for the smaller countries/countries that traditionally don't do so to qualify, so I prefer it.

 

[Leydan]

Just on a thought, if there is a low number of participants then they could reduce the finalists down to 25 again and do what they did in 2009 pretty much. top 9 from each of the semi's goes through then from the 10th place from both semi's the juries or televote will decide who takes the last place in the final 25? Just an idea? I think its better than one semi-final.

 

[ESC]

In my opinion also Serbia, Slovenia, Moldova, Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Italy will of course participate. Hope Portugal will return as well. Unfortunately I think it's a 50-50 chance that Bosnia & Herzegovina or Greece will participate. It's so sad, that in these list of "not-yet confirmed countries" there are all my favourite countries (except of Ukraine and Georgia).

 

[AdelAdel]

How come Monaco does not have money? Monaco is one of the richest countries in the world!

 

[Leydan]

How come Monaco does not have money? Monaco is one of the richest countries in the world!

Yes but i don't think the television broadcaster (or the government for that matter) has the money to splash on eurovision, especially when getting to the final isn't guaranteed. Plus i don't think there is much call for eurovision in Monaco anyway.

 

[A-lister]

How come Monaco does not have money? Monaco is one of the richest countries in the world!

That's not how ESC works, it's about how rich the broadcasters are (or how much the governments or other potential financiers) are willing to help out with. Monaco is not really rich in that sense, they have a high GDP/capita being a tax-free haven and bank paradise, but much of that are private assets and has nothing to do with the broadcaster. Same can be said about Andorra for instance.

 

[Happiness]

Portugal is back
http://twitter.com/jonolasand/status/398425216847990784

 

[cegs5]

xgood

 

[NikkiBoy]

2 weeks left for the deadline..

Hopefully no withdraw and a return for Poland please and Bosnia & Herzegovina!

I exept 40-41 countries in Copenhagen in May

 

[dragvision]

100% sure take part
80%
70%
50%
30%
10%

 

[Leydan]

100% sure take part
80%
70%
50%
30%
10%

Well i would make them slightly different. Out of the others left.

i would say
100%: - All of these don't have reason to withdraw.
80%: - NERIT has just been accepted to EBU, and apparently they've said they wish to enter eurovision.
50%: - Not a great deal of information been made available from both, Serbia more likely than Slovenia. Croatia withdrawel might influence things a bit.
20%: - Same not a great deal but i'm not sure on them making a come back just yet.
10%: - Again, not a lot of information been made available to easily determine, But there isn't much of a call for ESC in Poland and before they withdrew they did poor in ESC.

 

[Terence]

Imagine all of these confirm and Azerbaijan withdraw of course there's a bigger chance a pink snail will talk to me than it happening, but what a shocker!!

 

[Jim]

I GIVE:

100% - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Greece, Italy, Moldova, Romania
_75% - Serbia, Slovenia
_50% - Bosnia & Herzegovina, Poland

 

[Banana238]

Yay, Portugal!

Hopefully Bosnia & Herzegovina will also return, I miss them 1 They are one of my favorite ESC nations...
It would be amazing if Poland returns, but I really don't think it will happen in the next years...
Why must ESC be so expensive?