The Big 5 in the Semi finals

[A-lister]

The big countries would obviously benefit entering the semis, it really is hard to gain success with just one time showing.

A solution could be that the Big (+ host) country, voting in a particular semi, also performs (in the semi they're voting in) after all the competing acts have performed.

 

[angry]

So after this years contest there's been a lot of discussion on here, other forums and with the broadcasters themselves whether the big 5 countries should perform in the semi finals. Maybe as an interval act, purely to give them the exposure that the countries who go into the Semi finals get.

Eurovision*: les réflexions de la direction de France 3 pour l

The executive assistant of France 3, had a meeting in which he said the problem is the big 5 itself and the automatic qualification. Pointing out Italy who said is number 1 at home, and the UK who should have done better than it did. He said that they will attempt to get their entry for 2015 into the semi finals.

What do you all think?

I think if you want exposure in the semi, it is very simple. Join the competition and fight for your place in the grand final

 

[HarryUK]

Seeing as the big 5 practically make the competition possible through their financial contribution, I don't think it'd be fair for them not to be guaranteed a place in the final.

 

[Brequetter]

I think it would be good for them if they went through a semi-final, if they know they are going to be in the final no matter what they can just end up sending what crappy song they want.

But it would be usefull to promote our perfomance in twitter,facebook,news,...

Sorry, but my English level is worst than Carolina Casado who gave Spanish votes

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

A solution could be that the Big (+ host) country, voting in a particular semi, also performs (in the semi they're voting in) after all the competing acts have performed.

Copyright

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

And Big-5 is not only about the money (I don't think the difference of the contribution are so big nowadays), but the number of people they put in front of the TV. Imagine Germany, UK and Spain failing to qualify at the same time, that would automatically mean EBU lost many millions of viewers for the final, which means the contest is less interesting for sponsords and so on.....

Spot on!

 

[LalehForWD]

The big five do NOT pay for Eurovision!!!
It's a hearsay, a misunderstanding.
It is the host country who pays for Eurovision!!!

The big five do however (at least this is what is said) tribute most to the EBU, which is not the same. No budget have ever been published though to my knowledge.

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

The big five do NOT pay for Eurovision!!!
It's a hearsay, a misunderstanding.
It is the host country who pays for Eurovision!!!

The big five do however (at least this is what is said) tribute most to the EBU, which is not the same. No budget have ever been published though to my knowledge.

You're correct in stating that the Big 5 status is to do with EBU funding, not Eurovision. But Eurovision itself is funded by a combination of host + EBU + individual participants, and as a result Big 5 contribute more than the rest of the countries aside from the host.

 

[LalehForWD]

You're correct in stating that the Big 5 status is to do with EBU funding, not Eurovision. But Eurovision itself is funded by a combination of host + EBU + individual participants, and as a result Big 5 contribute more than the rest of the countries aside from the host.

Yes that is also correct but the EBU funding is surprisingly small (the only known sum of this amount was leaked on an internal document during preparation for ESC in Malmö 2012 AFAIK, the leak is now gone). If I remember right it was EUR 5 million for Baku and EUR 1 million for Malmö. To me this was a major surprise and made me question the big 5 rule as favourism among the powerful broadcasters. Now, EBU is not a public institution or democratic in any way, so it's really up to themselves to decide these things as they find fit. Simple as that, but one can always criticise.

 

[Franco]

Seeing as the big 5 practically make the competition possible through their financial contribution, I don't think it'd be fair for them not to be guaranteed a place in the final.

Then stick with the 1 performance in the final only!
I don't see why the other 32 countries should accept a change of the existing rules to favour only 5.
If they want to perform in the semis, they have to forfeit the automatic access to the final.

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

Then stick with the 1 performance in the final only!
I don't see why the other 32 countries should accept a change of the existing rules to favour only 5.
If they want to perform in the semis, they have to forfeit the automatic access to the final.

Why? Are you the Executive Supervisor or something?

 

[Franco]

Why? Are you the Executive Supervisor or something?

No. Are you?

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

No. Are you?

Im not, no. I was just wondering then why you were writing 'if they want this, they have to do this', then?

 

[Franco]

Im not, no. I was just wondering then why you were writing 'if they want this, they have to do this', then?

Just stating my opinion on the matter, the same way you wrote 'we should perform as the interval acts in whichever semi we vote in'

 

[LalehForWD]

I think the big 5 rule is counter-productive for the involved countries. They kind of enter the contest in the middle of the game, when it has been going on for a while and many people has started to make their minds up. It is both confusing and unfair. In the case they send low quality contributions, it becomes embarrassing and the slot could have been given to one of the non qualified countries.

I think the semi finals are now very much part of the contest and is as important as the final. The risk of being overlooked and forgotten is definitely a factor to consider for the big 5 if they want to win.

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

Just stating my opinion on the matter, the same way you wrote 'we should perform as the interval acts in whichever semi we vote in'

Well saying something should happen is different to saying it has to happen. Everyone's entitled to their view and it shouldnt be put out that another view is wrong because you dont agree with it. Take me - I totally understand why people think all should go into the semis, Im just against it happening because it is unfair.

 

[Franco]

I think the big 5 rule is counter-productive for the involved countries. They kind of enter the contest in the middle of the game, when it has been going on for a while and many people has started to make their minds up. It is both confusing and unfair. In the case they send low quality contributions, it becomes embarrassing and the slot could have been given to one of the non qualified countries.

I think the semi finals are now very much part of the contest and is as important as the final. The risk of being overlooked and forgotten is definitely a factor to consider for the big 5 if they want to win.

xyeah

People who vote in the semifinals tend to vote the same way in the finals. Once you've spent money on someone, you seldom throw that away to pick a new favourite.

 

[LalehForWD]

On the other hand - as living in a non big 5 country - the contest is very much decided in the semis and keeping the big 5 as dead meat in the bottom of the results is of course a blessing for us. If we're in it for the win, then having 5 extra contenders isn't the most optimal solution.

 

[LalehForWD]

xyeah

People who vote in the semifinals tend to vote the same way in the finals. Once you've spent money on someone, you seldom throw that away to pick a new favourite.

Exactly, any new unknown songs will become irrelevant and perhaps even annoying while messing up ones preferences.

 

[Brequetter]

I think there are TV channels more important than others because some TV channels contribute more viewers than others, for example TVE contribuites with viewers from Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile ...

France TV (France, Laos, Cambodia, Senegal ...)
BBC (around the world)

I think That Includes RTP contributes more viewers than Norway TV because is watched in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique ...

For this reason, I see logical BIG 5 has some privileges