‘Professor Song Contest’ schools us on the costs of Eurovision | DW News

Eurovision is the largest song contest in the world. It brings a boost to local economies and can put the host city on the tourism map - but with that honor comes a hefty price tag. Meanwhile, we discuss why the commercialization of Eurovision has become both a blessing and a curse.
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[@ehmzed]

To be fair, Eurovision is the only instance where I feel European on top of my own nationality. Because we share it culturally. If we're going to build a common European identity then we need more events like this that we can share as Europeans.

[@intersezioni]

the Sanremo festival in Italy costs around 17 million euros every year and earns 60 million euros from advertising revenues

[@stateofdreaming]

It's ridiculous that public broadcaster like RAI (funded by the government and taxes) can earn from advertising. It's one of the few in Europe that still has adverts.

[@antoinecadalen8355]

@@stateofdreaming They need it to stay relevent, because the States don't fund their broadasters enough

[@yespeace2000]

@@stateofdreaming Croatian public broadcaster HRT has both levy of 10€ per household and advertizing. They have about 2700 employees!

[@MarkusAT]

Watching Eurovision without commercials truly is something to be thankful of.

[@RebekkaDJ]

It’s good to be danish in that way

[@andyandreou]

I cannot stress this enough. I FUKCING LOVE EUROVISION.

[@ustadsami]

I'm from Turkiye. It's a shame we've succumbed to islamists mono-culture dark green color only. Music, dance, theater, sculpture isn't supported, all they care is mosques and prayer. After Erdogan in 4 years, this shall change to the way it was, a culturally diverse Turkiye back again.

[@ustadsami]

Türkiye will join in Eurovision again and crush the competition. We still have many great young artists 🎨🎷🪗🎸🎹🎺🎻🪕🥁🪘🪇🪈🎼🎵🎶🎙🎚🎛🎤🎧📻

[@user-xs8vr5yr4z]

bir Fransız yada Avrupalı hiç bir zaman gelib türklere kendi ülkesini kötülemez. Avupali olmak bu demek.....

[@akosivis]

I am really rooting for your country to come back! Too bad I started following Eurovision when Turkiye already withdrew, but I really enjoyed your country's past entries when I searched them online. Hoping to hear another Turkish ethnic bop again in Eurovision very soon

[@ustadsami]

@akosivis thank you for your support... Yes, we will return to Eurovision. The worst is almost past behind us. Erdogan will wreck the country for another 4 years, ruining everything he is associated with, including the medieval religion called Islamism.

[@gaborrajnai6213]

No great artist takes part in the Eurovision, like ever...

[@neilwaldock6272]

"Meow, cat, please meow back!"

[@netopir3804]

I was soooo looking forward to Split 2025… greetings from Switzerland.

[@lordwafflesthegreat]

@@netopir3804 Zagreb, the capital. Split would not host, it does not have the infrastructure.

[@leowindow]

I hope you all have fun with the Swiss contribution, it's great!

[@ayoCC]

Switzerland also pays into the european cohesion fund, so it's actually like a member of the EU in terms of contributing money And early on it was in the council as well, so a lot of bilateral agreements are precursors.

[@NoctLightCloud]

​@@ayoCCEU? this is about a song contest in all of Europe

[@teddyfisher6487]

If isr*el was banned, there was no need this much wastefulness on security. Everything would be perfect and everyone would enjoy this beautiful show but them. It's such a pity that authorities didn't consider that and put double standarts on isr*el so they could compete..

[@ItsMyLittleTony]

I was there in person in the arena and it was a real disappointment to not have any of them turn up for one. Secondly, we already knew alcazar was performing as it had been leaked, so it felt tacky to keep teasing abba. Thirdly, the finale trio singing Waterloo felt cheap. I definitly expected better from Swedish TV and could have been a much bigger tribute to abba and this felt cheap, tacky and insulting to fans.

[@Mias-ey6om]

Rim Tim tagi dim 🤘🏽🇭🇷. And The Witch from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@luisfilipe9272]

Only Croatia...

[@juliamroz5087]

Nemo!!! And Baby Lasagna ❤

[@erielvasan]

I thought I was in RobWords until I realised this is DW

[@niamhomahony7794]

ikr I'm soooo shocked, great video

[@D.S.handle]

Wait a second, Rob Watts is Rob Words!? 😮

[@BagdagulMirzali]

I am in schock too!

[@name_it]

Robwords is his private channel. But he is an exceptional journalist working for one of the most famous news media DW.

[@pazelpazel1926]

Whaaaaat

[@StellaFl]

I had no idea my beloved RobWords is a journalist! ❤❤

[@andewakare2590]

me too

[@IsaacTrumbo]

Do I get college credit for having watched this to the end?

[@JNL76]

Very interesting information, thank you.

[@MissDatherinePierce]

I mean it probably costs a bit more for Germany as a member of the Big 5 but it is still cheaper than producing 3 2-4 hours shows themselves. So no wonder we continue participating despite very, very mixed results. I guess the same goes for the UK and Spain (France and Italy have faired rather good in comparison). Economically it just makes sense to take part instead of skipping on it.

[@ayoCC]

In a small country i would actually very much consider the amounts of talent you can actually draw upon. When your population is only around 1 million, it suddenly becomes kind of hard i think. I do think though that all countries should be incentivized to participate, it's a great venue to project the european dream in a sustainable way.

[@humphreychannel582]

The artist doesn’t have to be of the nationality of the country they represent.

[@MissDatherinePierce]

@@humphreychannel582 Exactly. I think it was San Marino this year who sent a Spanish band. And well, we all know that Canadian Celine Dion won for Switzerland. Germany also had nominated Ben Dolic, who is Slovenian, for Eurovision 2020. There is also Austrian singer Nathan Trent who applied for the Austrian and German preselection. He was on the shortlist for Germany but was then chosen by Austria to represent them which disqualified him from the German national final. There is also that one Armenian or Albanian singer who did really well a few years ago and she lives in Hamburg. There have been several rumors she might participate in the German national selection for a few years. The only real rule is that you can only represent one country per year but otherwise anyone can represent any country.

[@bramilan]

What a surprise to see Rob Word hosting an interview about the Eurovision! 🙂

[@malenaboy]

I know right, for a second I was like this dude looks so familiar. I also love Eurovision. Basically changed the direction of my life.

[@heneralluna5972]

I didn't expect to see RobWords here

[@gogovideo10]

"Lordi's win a few years back" I'm here to make this journalist feel old, because Lordi's win was 18 years ago now.

[@netopir3804]

Unfortunately Zurich in CH will grab it in 2025, since they are always fixed on money and prestige within Switzerland. That is sad, because other cities such as St. Gallen, Basel, Lausanne etc, may get a chance to be put on the map.

[@JBinero]

Do these cities meet the requirements? Like amount of available hotels? The issue with Eurovision is that because of the size of the event, you can't really use it to put a smaller city on the map.

[@noname-ws9nt]

Im sure it will be Zurich

[@evidemment14]

What about Big 5? How much do they contribute in percentages? They're called Big 5 for a reason

[@ft4709]

Not that much at all, unless they’re hosting. The German numbers are well known to be within the 400.000 to 500.000 euro ball park. So 4% of the total cost at most. Probably much less.

[@sollte1239]

They are the Big 5 because they have the most inhabitans and therefore generate the most spectators

[@randuru]

​@@ft4709According to the professor, those 500k would be roughly a 12th (8.5%) of all participation fees (6mln). So Big 5 pay for almost half the participation fees.

[@Vhmvd]

@@sollte1239 not really it's becuase they contribute the most to the total budget. it was never about population nor viewership, by your logic Russia would've been a big 5 and Iceland for that matter since it gets almost >95% viewership every year.

[@64214Jose]

@@sollte1239Then, why hasn’t Russia been a Big one ever?

[@Jon-hh3gz]

Does this mention the big 5? Maybe I skipped over it. Was curious how much their contributions mount up.

[@HZ-fg9sf]

Luxembourg is one of the richest countries in the world, so I'm sure they could have foot the bill if they wanted to, just saying. That's not the greatest example. He should have mentioned countries like Romania who legitimately wanted to come but couldn't foot the bill this year.

[@64214Jose]

Sure, it’s a task haven.

[@halbailman]

Wealth per capita or total wealth? Perhaps that's the issue that 300,000 EUR is a lot for a population of 600k, and previously they cited costs as a reason not to return. With fewer countries now, perhaps the fee got reduced.

[@adamknight5089]

I'd love to see an Asiavision or Africavision

[@chananya1940]

First of all do they need to stop hating each other and China or Mainland Chinese need to learn how to be humble otherwise it would be a chaos 😂😂😂

[@bryonyrigby2468]

They were going to set up Eurovision Asia a few years back! ('Asiavision' is a news station, they've taken the name already.) There was also a Latin American version back in the 70s.

[@halbailman]

Eurovision only works in Europe. All efforts to expand the concept have failed.

[@vatnidd]

Ok I did not expect to see Rob here

[@ro6493]

Music aside, this year was the most toxic eurovision ever.

[@Vhmvd]

I wonder who made it that toxic in the first place ... let me guess the fandom itself; so much for them to wanting a non-political contest when they're the one who brough every political aspect to it from mass voting to actually petitioning to exclude some just because they're not in line with their preferred narratives.

[@ayoCC]

way too much booing

[@64214Jose]

The songs level was much higher than on the latest years.

[@Xenia277]

RobWords and Eurovision is the crossover I didn't know I needed.

[@billyponsonby]

Cha Cha Cha

[@TheMightyKinkle]

6:22 That's just downright vandalism 😡

[@Duke19073]

Lol, russian bots are stomping DW news comment section even in this video 😂😂😂

[@64214Jose]

Putin is gone nuts.

[@gaborrajnai6213]

Sic transit gloria mundi...

[@pecare9595]

The most underrated comment!

[@khl170]

Baku has spent 100 million dollars on this event ? OMG Are they out of mind? Gosh damn

[@MikaBettanin]

They spent an insanely amount of money when they hosted it in 2012, not on this year's event :-)

[@LA90598]

The had to build an arena especially for Eurovision. The 100m would include that.

[@haykk5375]

They are an authoritarian oil dictatorship - of course they are trying to white wash their image.

[@enriqueali]

Azerbaijan is awash with petro-dollars. Or at least it was back in 2012

[@Vhmvd]

most of it was to build an arena and it was not only for eurovision it was a long term investment ... literary.

[@lebkha]

60 millions only?! Peanuts

[@TheLiberalNerd]

Russia hosted the ESC 2009 in hopes of hosting World War 3 in 2027

[@VenlaKaroliina]

We need new sponsor who wont effect ebus decision making.

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

The sponsor doesn't affect the EBU's decision making.

[@th3freakie]

Why is the youtube man talking on DW News? I like it but didn't expect it.

[@queercastlimburg]

Don't forget Rotterdam 2020/2021 with the covid pandamic

[@vladimirobradovic-tm6kf]

100.000.000.€for the Balkans they said in BIH

[@keiraferrari7764]

My question: Why are Australia and Israel in Eurovision when neither country is in Europe?

[@CZedby]

Australian broadcaster SBS is an active member in the EBU.

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

​@@CZedbySBS is only an Associate member

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

Israel is in the European Broadcasting Area which is the only geographical criteria for EBU membership and Aus was invited because ESC is a big thing there

[@Richardsonprincess00]

EBU needs to change up their act or doomed... that's goes for ESC also.

[@OneBIGPlace]

The Netherlands got robbed

[@user-zv7hx3jn1c]

300000 Euro invested in producing good song instead of fees would raise the quality of EV. May be these big fees are reason for questionable music performed on the EV's stage.

[@Invenery]

@2;45 --- Are we using American spelling now for "centre" ?!?!? FFS 🤦‍♂

[@Nora-esc2023]

As a Canadian who wishes to participate in Eurovision activities in 2025, I am happy to visit Switzerland versus Croatia. I feel it would have been difficult with my queer partner to not be noticed in Croatia. Thanks to Nemo and their predecessors, being queer is not a deteriment but in some European countries I feel the heteronormative is more powerful.

[@ehmzed]

If you're worried about that, then Eurovision would obviously be the best occasion to visit the host city in a country that's generally not as open minded as others. Eurovision is the most gay-friendly event, the majority of people visiting the host city for it would be gay as well, and the citizens welcoming and accepting in celebration, at least for the duration of the event. If anything, it would've let you visit Croatia with less to worry about. By the way, I don't know much about Croatia but I'm sure in bigger cities it isn't such a problem to be openly gay. And that goes for most countries in Europe really.

[@adamknight5089]

As Croatia is staunchly Catholic, LGBT is rare but it is completely acceptable, especially in big cities. They are very friendly people and crime is extremely low so you should not worry about that. But as a Canadian you'd probably need to live in your chosen European country for a bit to qualify.

[@JBinero]

Do note that Switzerland is also very conservative compared to other parts of Western Europe.

[@happymelon7129]

If Russia is excluded so should Israel be excluded. Russia is more of a European country than Israel. Why is it there anyway? Double standards perhaps?

[@santostv.]

Russia threatened European sovereignty but Israel didn’t.

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

Was russia invaded and just retaliated? Even comparing Israel to putler’s Mordor is gravelly antisemitic.

[@michaziobro5301]

Probably russians killed less people in Ukraine then Isreal together with USA in Gasa. Are there official statistics ?

[@trildi]

@@T1hitsTheHighestNote For God's sake, stop calling every opinion ''antisemitic''. Arabs are semites as well.

[@Vhmvd]

enough with this narrative!

[@jelenab6289]

Yes but it gets more and more politly oriented if you keep letting countries in war, under attack, attacking, with teritorial disputies and not fully recognized participate. I am fine with Kosovo being a country but then you get into problems do Nagorno Karabah comes separatelly? What about Moldovian Transilavnian Republic? Or you are politicak organization or you are not

[@phil1506]

You have to stop this claw gesture with your hand when asking questions, it’s reading as pushing the person away and looks unnatural

[@szymonj.rucinski3843]

ROB WORDS??

[@thePronto]

It shortens the life span of the citizens of Europe. Time we'll never get back.

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

It doesn't

[@joaovitormatos8147]

Why is DW worried about it? It's not like Germany is hosting anytime soon

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

They aren't. People are just curious about the cost

[@user-bl4pd1bp9d]

I guess the soul of a hypocrat would do

[@andewakare2590]

Robwords???

[@witext]

Rob words? Is that you?

[@DimaShirshkov1]

Israel didn't host Eurovision in 1980 because the day of the show coincided with the day when Israel commemorates victims of Holocaust

[@Michelasdissapointmentandanger]

The only pan European cultural event

[@istvannanasi6785]

15:32 ....THIS STUFF ok you think is nothing to do with you...

[@bobbydennis8333]

2024[Gregorian] “Respect and dignity.” Furthermore:

[@santilic4836]

CROATIA IS THE REAL WINNER ❤

[@alexanikiev]

Dude, you sit in Germany and still remember ruzzia in year two thousand something . Bizarre

[@kwazar6725]

Its now a joke meme. Countries get a baad image from a bad song

[@Vhmvd]

then don't send a bad song! easy.

[@harrisdizdarevic5797]

Wow you could've spent 5 minutes on explaining this. Cut it down. KZbin you know

[@SabineWald_NowHere]

I can't stand this show until someone showed me Croatian cute song. May there be peace in Malmo. Don't let the beasts out. Never enough security in Sweden nowadays. So sad.

[@happymelon7129]

Israeli contestant advances to Eurovision Song Contest finals. More than 10,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators march in Sweden

[@64214Jose]

Great!!!

[@luispalomino85]

🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉

[@TomerBrosh]

Eden, or Nemo

[@TheDaedeloth]

The presenter has a disgusted face when he is listening, so weird to watch.

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

He doesn't

[@arundhatiidevii7026]

Eden Golan performance was one of the best

[@vladimirobradovic-tm6kf]

Sponsored

[@gaborrajnai6213]

To think that art once meant Michelangelo in Europe...

[@silviahannak3213]

Who pays Ukraine? So when Sweden sung they love Esc so much. They just aay...we arw too rich. Wow. What a big Tourismus Show.

[@vladimirobradovic-tm6kf]

MOROCCAN OIL 🛢 YOU CAN SEE IN EVERY EUROVISION IN PAST YEARS

[@MyMpc1]

'It came as a surprise to me that Morocco performed'. Really? What about when genocidal colonial states that aren't part of Europe participate, too??

[@summersilly9151]

The question is : people vote for those who really sing excellently or vote for the singer from their own country 😂

[@leondroidgeeks]

You're not able to vote for your own country

[@renanbp]

Wondering if this is gonna be the last year of Eurovision with the terrible decision of allowing Israel in.

[@evolv.e]

You’d like that, wouldn’t you? It’s a song contest. Not a political preference contest.

[@64214Jose]

It’s not about political preference. It’s called genocide.

[@evolv.e]

@@64214Jose how is what you said not political? That has nothing to do with Eden Golan or Eurovision Song Contest. You’re trying to make the ESC political. I remind you once again, it’s a song contest. The singers and artists are not politicians, nor do they have anything to do with politics. This shouldn’t be difficult to understand.

[@64214Jose]

@@evolv.e I believe it’s clear enough and I repeat what I wrote: it’s called genocide. It’s not only me who thinks so.

[@64214Jose]

Sometimes politics, as you call it, go beyond any other thing.

[@hugodelnegro]

Waist of money

[@Ukrainecrimes]

Its huge and it's can be sent to the Great Ukraine 😢

[@mehmet.albyrk]

Is there any need to hold eurovision again in a world where people are dying of hunger and wars ?

[@andreae.]

Yes, more than ever. People have always been dying of hunger and wars; maybe you're now noticing them more because they're closer to you? Also... if anyone should complain, that would be Ukraine. And yet, they're as enthusiastic as ever. Probably the war made Eurovision even more needed for them, not less. People need to find happiness in something, otherwise they'll just get depressed and give up.

[@MrThomyorkey]

What a waste of money

[@janpetersen7440]

Amazing that junk can still draw audiences. 🤔

[@byJannik]

And the audience share is even increasing from year to year

[@luciatheron1621]

Why are you watching then?

[@TurinStark5]

Lol, you obviously don't listen to Eurovision. You surely are of the highest standard when it comes to music...

[@MikaBettanin]

one man's trash is another man's treasure

[@64214Jose]

Unrespectfull.

[@swedishdissident3406]

It is a total waste of money as the standard is going down hill. This year was the worst ever. It is turning into a burlesque show if Finland is anything to go by. As I live in another part of Sweden you fell the Israel impact as all police where sent to Malmö.

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

The standard definately isn't decreasing

[@swedishdissident3406]

@@Gfynbcyiokbg8710 Everybody I know has lost interest. Only a few years ago every body was glued to the Song Festival.

[@almericopoulot]

EBU Sucks! Joost Klein 12 points!

[@Richardsonprincess00]

Hopefully, they'll be peaceful cheers for Israel... without jeers of performance!

[@leylayetmez]

Of course my beautiful Eden gonna win this year 🇮🇱🇦🇿❤ She is our daughter

[@kyrsid]

the Olympic Games do bring europeans and not only together for hundred of years now. but Eurovision definitely brings gay people together, like you two guys.

[@64214Jose]

So what?

[@aivars_video]

Haven't watched that s*tshow for years, and seeing here the fragments of the participant songs, I know I've made the right choice. Let me know when music like ABBA will be back, then I'll start watching again.

[@LeafHuntress]

Go to Slimane's channel & watch his performance. If that's too slow for you, you might want to look up the Georgian entry Nutsa with Firefighter. If you particularly like disco, then you're out of luck. Denmark tried to enter with a disco song last year or the year before, but didn't get out of the semis. But then again, there are so many new genres in the world since the early 70s, so many more things for people to enjoy. Parents weren't happy when people like jazz, then they weren't happy when that newfangled rock came around & the rock & roll youth hated it when their kids danced to disco. So it's quite normal to dislike new things as you age, though i would urge you to keep an open mind, it's healthier.

[@gorishokgo5825]

Btw half of Germany belongs to ussr so it is pure historically russian land

[@Gfynbcyiokbg8710]

Nope

[@andzejorlovskij3889]

Вон из Литвы НАТО!!!@

[@Vhmvd]

says the ruzzian bot

[@family.lovs.things]

There were so many amazing artists this year, but Ukrainian song is the only one that made it into my playlist. 👌 It’s so so good!

[@vladimirobradovic-tm6kf]

No, Moroccan oil 🛢 is a sponsorship from Israel company 🇮🇱 eurovision,

[@dragonblossom-qw2pl]

Nice now we know how jury vote and which country winner , now I understand who pay more who is rich country they are safe small country with less money are out🥲