Last year, when all ten songs qualifying from the semi final came from the area that is commonly known as "the East", all Western Europe went berserk and made utter fools of themselves, spewing headlines like "Eurovision died this year" or "Hate the East" or "Throw them out" and other cheerful phrases.
This year, western Europe did a lot better: Finland, Iceland, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark and Norway made it through, and if one supposes that "West" means "country taking part before the East were let in" then also Israel, Greece and Turkey should be added to the bunch. Nine out of twenty qualifyers is a great step forward compared to last year.
But then the truth of the matter creeps out, and the whole ugly thing shows its real face: now many westerners are still complaining. The West made it, yes, but not the "right" countries from the West.
"We have to investigate the Nordic bloc" someone wrote. A Swiss newspaper had the story: "We were the only Western country in the second semi and we were kicked out!" Excuse me, what? What is Iceland? An eastern country?
And this is the whole reason why East keeps doing better than West: they take an interest in each other, they like each other's songs and care for the other singers. While the western countries just sit with their noses stuck in their belly buttons, complaining at every given chance.
The whole East/West division is sad and pathetic. Let's bury it now and never dig it up again.
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4 years ago
10 comments:
Let's not forget that half of 'Western Europe' can't qualify for the final... because their positions there are handed to them on a plate!!
The Big 4 is the most unfair thing about Eurovision but you don't hear much of western Europe complaining about that.
The big 4 Unfair?
There would be no contest if it was not for them. The uk foots 40% of the cost so that smaller countries can enter! They deserve the entitlement to have automatic entry
Would you be happy to not go to a party that you had paid for?
Oh, and you think that gives the BBC the right to buy the competition?
The BBC should have to compete on a level playing field just like everyone else. If they aren't happy about it, they can piss off.
I'm sure that other countries would be only too happy to foot the bill.
euro mafia
why pay for that crap with my licence fee?
The competition is not bought by the bbc.
The three largest economies in europe pay for it!!!!
I think you will find that many of the small countries would have to drop out since they would not be able to afford it if the 4 did not pay for it....therefore the competition would not exist and then you would be complaining!
Ehm, a hugely interesting debate, but not really related to this post, though.
But Tobsy darling - it is very related... if this doesn't show up the real problem about east/west divisions, I don't know what does.
And, if you sponsor the Oscars, it doesn't mean you get to decide the nominees.
But yes, no other broadcaster would be able to support it. After all, Eastern Europe doesn't have two pennies to rub together, does it? [/sarcasm]
I think the Big-4 should call the bluff, let's have equal funding from all participating states and no-automatic qualification. All the better as far as I am concerned (I am British) once we are not in it automatically it will give yet more impetus to the sensible idea (already implemented by Italy, Austria and Luxembour) of pulling out!! forever!!!
Amen
ok....lets go back to your original comment about fairness.
If you want fairness in the competition then all countries entering eurovision (east and west) should therefore pay.
At the moment this does not happen and therefore this is the biggest unfairness of the whole competition!
This calls for a completely different posting of mine, I feel. To be done later today. Or possibly tomorrow, depending on my mood... :)
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