What do people in your country think about ESC?

[Interrail]

It is interesting that RTS still didn't publish the viewing rates for the national final this year, and I can guess why......it was probably the lowest ever

Definitely that's the reason why RTS didn't publish viewing rates, I'm sure these rates would be too embarassing for them.
I think that every peasant sitcom in RTS ('rodjak sa sela', 'selo gori..' and such things) have better viewing rates then ESC lately.
And I must say also some of my friends didn't even notice there was Eurovision this year, some still don't know our song or singer. Few years ago it was impossible.

 

[Milos-BC]

^^ Absolutely correct. Every sitcom they are broadcasting has much better ratings than ESC, and will always have even when they rerun them for 465th time ("Bolji zivot", "Srecni ljudi" etc....). It's ironical but that is how things are standing here. We may send great and talented singers like Nina, but it is "the system" that's not right here. RTS is the only guilty factor, as they are ruining everything that we achieved in this short time of taking part in ESC which started with "Lane Moje" ( I don't count Yugoslavia here, our last participation was nearly 20 years ago, ESC standards were different, our own country standards as well.....). Their marketing is simply "zero". If I was in the delegation I would be very worried with the trend we are in, but they like to....how to say it in English "zamazu drugima oci", that everything is great, we are noticed, we have the most original performance, our ESC in Belgrade was the best ever, we have the best act, etc.....while the reality is something else. For me personally 14th place is not a bad result but I AM worried what will it look like next year, as we got a lower result than in 2010 and we didn't even have our "standard" support we had all these years. Everything smells on a fall and not on a rise.

I can also say that if, say tomorrow RTS announces that Serbia is withdrawing, nobody would give a damn except the fans. Many would actually be like "FINALLY! Enough of this s**t, we don't need it". And if Kosovo would join the contest, Serbia is then out forever, that is sure.

 

[Yamarus]

Well if it can provide any relief, I think the Eurovision Song Contest is a niche - however small - to which almost all broadcasters have always clung, even the least succesful ones. Austria has been touch-and-go in the last few years, more because of a perceived unfairness of the voting system than viewing figures. The only country I can think of which has really withdrawn because of general lack of enthusiasm is the Czech Republic, and they're coming back in Baku (with something that will hopefully not suck as much as their previous entries). Maybe Serbia will become an "on-and-off" country à la Czech Rep. or Austria. But from my perspective as outsider, I don't see that happening because Serbia is a quality contestant (their songs usually deserve the points they get, and I think that this year's entry was even underrated in view of the live performance which was flawless).

 

[Salmon]

First I have to say that our NF 2010 "Unser Star für Oslo" has given the contest massive popularity here in Germany, so now people think ESC is "cool" on one side, but they also say it's "crap" on the other one. And it's not rare that they think the contest is "both of them". And most people don't even know of the semi-finals. However, they pretend to be "Eurovision Experts" 3 The popularity of eurovision in the last years is mainly expressed by the single charts.

 

[evilperson]

It's rare to come across anyone who actually knows about it. The typical media article comes out when there is a winner that announces who won, that approximately 100 million people watch it and that past winners were ABBA and our very own, Celine Dion. There may also be a mention of geopolitical voting and the general failure of Western Europe in competition with Eastern nations. That's about all there is. ESC doesn't air on any channel here, rather you'd have to buy one of the European satellite feeds available from various countries.

 

[Mark-ESC14]

ESC is extremely unpopular here in , I think you guys know why. Sucks to be one of the little group of fans, wish there were more... :l

 

[Quent91]

ESC is extremely unpopular here in , I think you guys know why. Sucks to be one of the little group of fans, wish there were more... :l

I get why TROS tried to get into the Big6...

 

[r3gg13]

Here's your typical Time Magazine article about this year's Eurovision

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2071522,00.html

 

[doctormalisimo]

Here's your typical Time Magazine article about this year's Eurovision

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2071522,00.html

"Although critics dismiss Eurovision as a cultural eyesore for its garish outfits and lyrics seemingly written with Google Translate"

 

[nikolay_BG]

IDk how the whole bulgarian nation sees Eurovision, but I can say that the hype here was really big till our first national final (in 2004) when the group Kaffe bought their victory and shamed our country in Ukraine.

The same thing happened in 2006 too.

People were really happy that we scored 5th in 2007, but when we couldn`t take part in the final of 2008 (this were the rules before the 2 semi finals), and when Bulgaria was bumped for Sweden (thanks to the juries) people started not to care so much about ESC and to make fun of it.

So basicly now Eurovision is "that contest that is only mocking worthy" and even if Bulgaria wins that wont change. I basicly see how people lost the trust in Eurovision. And believe me, it`s really hard to get back a bulgarian trust. It`s in our nature to see double crossings and stuff, cause usually when we trusted somebody, they double crossed us. :roll:

 

[Yamarus]

Here's your typical Time Magazine article about this year's Eurovision

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2071522,00.html

Meh, typically Anglo-centric article. Jedward are stars only in Ireland and the UK and nobody in Europe had heard about them before Eurovision. This is the kind of thing that irritates me the most about the British. They actually think their stars are *so* great that Europe just has to love them. And when it flops against someone else, well, those are nobodies and Europe has no taste! LOL. That's why betting odds (all located in London) were so terribly off. Who seriously believed Jedward (or Amaury Vassili for that matter) would win the ESC except for them? Come on.

 

[nikolay_BG]

Meh, typically Anglo-centric article. Jedward are stars only in Ireland and the UK and nobody in Europe had heard about them before Eurovision. This is the kind of thing that irritates me the most about the British. They actually think their stars are *so* great that Europe just has to love them. And when it flops against someone else, well, those are nobodies and Europe has no taste! LOL. That's why betting odds (all located in London) were so terribly off. Who seriously believed Jedward (or Amaury Vassili for that matter) would win the ESC except for them? Come on.

I am trying to explain that since I`m in the forum, but nobody listens. They know the 2 words "political voting" and that`s it

 

[r3gg13]

Meh, typically Anglo-centric article. Jedward are stars only in Ireland and the UK and nobody in Europe had heard about them before Eurovision. This is the kind of thing that irritates me the most about the British. They actually think their stars are *so* great that Europe just has to love them. And when it flops against someone else, well, those are nobodies and Europe has no taste! LOL. That's why betting odds (all located in London) were so terribly off. Who seriously believed Jedward (or Amaury Vassili for that matter) would win the ESC except for them? Come on.

Just for the record, the guy who wrote that article is the same guy who founded Wiwibloggs. Time is an American magazine, but he's based in the UK, so that (I guess) explains the Anglo-centric leanings of the article.

 

[Sabrewulf238]

and someone watch it as if they are going to war or something there is a world cup atmosphere at our house

Eurovision is like my World Cup. I remember I got really annoyed over eurovision once and somebody told me off and I was just thinking "yeah if this was the world cup you'd be bawling your eyes out".

Here in Ireland there isn't really a positive attitude. I think secretly people enjoy it....but probably not as much as you'd like to think. It seems to me like the dummies of the UK and Ireland choose to forget about success (like Jade Ewen and Jedward this year) and will be back to "evvybawdy hates us wah wah" next year.

 

[Metafeller]

In Turkey, people usually say "Only we care about this contest, no one gives a damn, it's ridiculous bla bla". They think it's cool to pretend not watching Eurovision but they keep watching it So, I'd like to learn other nations' opinions.

(I didn't see any thread related to this subject, then I posted this)

And most of them doesn't know so much things about songs, just knows "Our song is such a stupid (like 2011)" or "We should win this year (like 2010)". That kinda people annoy me.

But despite of that, we have real fans; take it serious ones

 

[Jukica]

Hmm I think that ESC in Croatia isn't popular like in some other countries :/ maybe because of recent results, dunno

 

[Hegepege]

In Norway ESC is a kitch-fest! We love the show, but everyone thinks the music is crappy. And it is, most of it

 

[dogmeat]

Let me cite some of the reactions on the internet about polish withdrawal:

can't say i regret that. If we'd be going to be represented by masterpieces of the Isis Gee or Ivan i Delfin sort, isn't it better not to start at all?

Fine. Cultural and artistic value of this eurovision circus equals zero!

Bravo! Finally we won't be taking part in this pathetic circus.

Eurovision is such an idiotic rubbish, i'm glad about this resignation. Maybe the others will go get some brains too.

Thankfully They won't be talking about this sh*t anymore

 

[vatroslav_cro]

Well, people here would probably have the similar thoughts if we would have withdrawn....

 

[Jukica]

Well, people here would probably have the similar thoughts if we would have withdrawn....

I think too :/