Eurovision Song Contest 2018
| Eurovision Song Contest 2018 | |
|---|---|
| All Aboard! | |
 |
|
| Dates | |
| Semi-final 1 | 8 May 2018 |
| Semi-final 2 | 10 May 2018 |
| Final | 12 May 2018 |
| Host | |
| Venue | Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal |
| Presenter(s) | Catarina Furtado Daniela Ruah Filomena Cautela Sílvia Alberto |
| Executive supervisor | Jon Ola Sand |
| Host broadcaster | Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) |
| Participants | |
| Number of entries | 43 |
| Debuting countries | None |
| Returning countries |  Russia |
| Withdrawing countries | None |
|
|
| Vote | |
| Voting system | Each country awards two sets of 12, 10, 8–1 points to their 10 favourite songs: one from their professional jury and the other from televoting. |
Forty-three countries will participate in the contest, equalling the record of the 2008 and 2011 editions. Russia will return after their absence from the previous edition, and for the first time since 2011, no country will be withdrawing from the contest.
Contents
Location
Venue
The venue of the contest, Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal
The multi-purpose arena was built for the Expo '98 and has a capacity of 20,000 attendees, making it the largest indoor venue in Portugal and among the largest in Europe.[3] It is located in the heart of the modern Parque das Nações riverside district in the northeast of Lisbon, which hosted the Expo '98. It is connected by metro to the nearby international airport and by train (Oriente Station) to the rest of the country and Europe.[4]
Bidding phase and host selection
Locations of the host city (blue) and remaining candidate cities (red)
The basic requirements to select a host city were set out in a document presented by the EBU to RTP following their win in Kiev:[10]
- A suitable venue that can accommodate around 10,000 spectators.
- An international press centre for 1,500 journalists with adequate facilities for all the delegates.
- A good distribution of hotel rooms, at different price categories, able to accommodate at least 2,000 delegates, accredited journalists and spectators.
- An efficient transport infrastructure, including a nearby international airport with readily available connections with the city, venue and hotels.
On 13 June 2017, RTP representatives met with the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group at the EBU headquarters in Geneva. During the meeting, RTP officials attended a workshop covering several topics related with hosting the Eurovision Song Contest and learned from the experience of the Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC. They also had the opportunity to present their first plans for the 2018 contest, including multiple proposals for host city and venue.[14]
On 25 July 2017, the EBU and RTP announced that Lisbon had been selected as the host city, overcoming confirmed bids from Braga, Gondomar, Guimarães and Santa Maria da Feira.[15] In addition, RTP indicated the Parque das Nações, where Altice Arena is located, as the site for the shows.[16]
Key:
Host venue| City | Venue | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braga | Braga Exhibition Park | 15,000 (after renovation) | Agro-industrial park inaugurated in 1981 and further expanded in 1987 with a 6,500 m2 (70,000 sq ft) exhibition hall able to hold 3,000 people, and in 1990 with a congress centre and auditorium for 1,200 people.[17] Renovation works starting in 2017 and ending in the first trimester of 2018 would increase the exhibition hall capacity to 15,000.[18] |
| Gondomar | Multiusos de Gondomar Coração de Ouro | 8,000 | Multi-purpose indoor arena inaugurated in 2007, with a total capacity for 8,000 people (4,400 seats).[19] Hosted the 2007 UEFA Futsal Championship final tournament.[20] |
| Guimarães | Multiusos de Guimarães | 10,000 | Multi-purpose indoor arena inaugurated in 2001, with a total capacity for 10,000 people (3,000 seats).[21] Selected by RTP to host the final of the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018, the Festival da Canção, on 4 March 2018.[22] |
| Lisbon[6] | Altice Arena |
20,000 | Multi-purpose indoor arena inaugurated in 1998, it is the country's largest indoor venue with a total capacity for 20,000 people. Hosted the Expo '98,[23] the 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championship,[24] the 2000 ATP Finals,[25] the 2001 IAAF World Indoor Championships,[26] the 2003 World Men's Handball Championship,[27] the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards,[28] the UEFA Futsal Cup Final Four (2001–02, 2009–10[29] and 2014–15[30]), and the 2016 Web Summit.[31] |
| Santa Maria da Feira | Europarque | 11,000 | Largest convention centre in the Porto Metropolitan Area, inaugurated in 1995. Hosted the European Council of June 2000, the Festival da Canção final in 2001, and the UEFA Euro 2004 final tournament draw. It was the option supported by the Metropolitan Council of Porto.[12] |
Format
Visual design
The theme for the contest, All Aboard!, was unveiled on 7 November 2017 in a press conference held at the Lisbon Oceanarium.[32] Its visual design features oceanic motifs that allude to Lisbon and Portugal's location on the Atlantic coast and to the country's seafaring history. Alongside the main emblem, which depicts a stylised seashell, twelve supplemental emblems were designed to symbolise different aspects of a marine ecosystem. The contest's Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand remarked that the theme and logos "resonate with Lisbon’s history and underscore Eurovision's core values, including diversity, very well. The Ocean connects all of us and its variety can provide good inspiration for each of the (...) participating broadcasters that we look forward to seeing in Lisbon next May."[33]Presenters
On 8 January 2018, RTP and EBU announced that the contest would be hosted for the first time by four female presenters, consisting of RTP hosts Sílvia Alberto, Filomena Cautela and Catarina Furtado, together with actress Daniela Ruah.[34] It will be the first time since 2013 that the contest does not feature a male presenter, and the second consecutive year that the presenters are from the same gender.[35][34]Semi-final allocation draw
The draw to determine in which semi-final each country will participate is scheduled for 29 January 2018, 13:00 CET, at the City Hall of Lisbon. The thirty-seven semi-finalists had been allocated into six pots, based on historical voting patterns as calculated by the contest's official televoting partner Digame. Drawing from different pots helps to reduce the chance of so-called "bloc voting" and increase suspense in the semi-finals. The ceremony will be hosted by contest presenters Sílvia Alberto and Filomena Cautela, and will include the passing of a Eurovision insignia from Vitali Klitschko, the Mayor of Kiev (host city of the previous contest), to Fernando Medina, the Mayor of Lisbon.[36]| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 | Pot 5 | Pot 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Participating countries
The EBU announced on 7 November 2017 that forty-two countries would participate in the contest. Russia confirmed their return after withdrawing from the previous edition, while Macedonia's participation was provisionally blocked by the EBU due to unpaid debts by its national broadcaster.[33][37] However, ten days later, the EBU announced that Macedonia would be allowed to enter the contest, raising the number of participating countries to forty-three, the highest since the 2008 and 2011 editions.[38]Returning artists
- Waylon represented the Netherlands in 2014 as part of The Common Linnets, alongside Ilse DeLange, placing second in the final with their song "Calm After the Storm".[39]
- Cesár Sampson was a backing vocalist and dancer for Bulgaria in 2016, and off-stage vocalist in 2017.
- Jessica Mauboy participated at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 as the interval act of the second semi-final, performing her song "Sea of Flags".[40]
Semi-finalists
| Country [38] | Artist | Song | Language(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
 Albania |
Eugent Bushpepa[41] | "Mall"[41] | Albanian[42] |
 Armenia |
TBD 24 February 2018[43][44] | TBD 24 February 2018[43][44] | |
 Australia |
Jessica Mauboy[45][46] | ||
 Austria |
Cesár Sampson[47] | "Nobody but You"[48] | |
 Azerbaijan |
Aisel[49] | TBD March 2018[50] | |
 Belarus |
TBD 16 February 2018[51] | TBD 16 February 2018[51] | |
 Belgium |
Laura Groeseneken[52] | English[53] | |
 Bulgaria |
TBD 12 March 2018[54] | TBD 12 March 2018[54] | English[55][56] |
 Croatia |
|||
 Cyprus |
TBD January 2018[57] | TBD January 2018[57] | |
 Czech Republic |
TBD 29 January 2018[58] | TBD 29 January 2018[58] | English[59] |
 Denmark |
TBD 10 February 2018[60] | TBD 10 February 2018[60] | |
 Estonia |
TBD 3 March 2018[61] | TBD 3 March 2018[61] | |
 Finland |
Saara Aalto[62] | TBD 3 March 2018[63] | |
 Georgia |
Iriao[64] | ||
 Greece |
TBD February 2018[65] | TBD February 2018[65] | Greek[66] |
 Hungary |
TBD 24 February 2018[67] | TBD 24 February 2018[67] | |
 Iceland |
TBD 3 March 2018[68] | TBD 3 March 2018[68] | |
 Ireland |
|||
 Israel |
|||
 Latvia |
TBD 24 February 2018[69][70] | TBD 24 February 2018[69][71] | |
 Lithuania |
TBD March 2018[72] | TBD March 2018[72] | |
 Macedonia |
|||
 Malta |
TBD 3 February 2018[73][74] | TBD 3 February 2018[73][74] | English[73][74] |
 Moldova |
TBD 24 February 2018[75] | TBD 24 February 2018[75] | |
 Montenegro |
TBD 17 February 2018[76] | TBD 17 February 2018[76] | Montenegrin[77] |
 Netherlands |
Waylon[78] | ||
 Norway |
TBD 10 March 2018[79] | TBD 10 March 2018[79] | |
 Poland |
|||
 Romania |
TBD 25 February 2018[80] | TBD 25 February 2018[80] | |
| Russia |
|||
 San Marino |
TBD 27 February 2018[81] | ||
 Serbia |
TBD February 2018[82] | TBD February 2018[82] | |
 Slovenia |
TBD February 2018[83] | TBD February 2018[83] | Slovene1 |
 Sweden |
TBD 10 March 2018[84] | TBD 10 March 2018[84] | |
 Switzerland |
TBD 4 February 2018[85][86] | TBD 4 February 2018[85][86] | |
 Ukraine |
TBD 24 February 2018[87] | TBD 24 February 2018[87] |
Finalists
| Country [38] | Artist | Song | Language(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
 France |
TBD 27 January 2018[88] | TBD 27 January 2018[88] | French2 |
 Germany |
TBD 22 February 2018[89] | TBD 22 February 2018[89] | |
 Italy |
TBD 10 February 2018[90] | TBD 10 February 2018[90] | Italian3 |
 Portugal |
TBD 4 March 2018[91] | TBD 4 March 2018[91] | |
 Spain |
TBD 29 January 2018[92] | TBD 29 January 2018[92] | Spanish[93] |
 United Kingdom |
TBD 7 February 2018[94] | TBD 7 February 2018[94] |
- 1. ^ All entries have to be performed in Slovene in the semifinal of EMA 2018, but the language restriction is lifted for the final.[95]
- 2. ^ The French broadcaster stated that they will consider songs that are performed in at least 70% French.[96] This means that the entry may contain multiple languages besides French, and in recent years, songs have been a mixture of both French and English lyrics.
- 3. ^ All entries in the Sanremo Music Festival 2018 will be performed in Italian, although it is currently unknown whether or not the song will be partially (or fully) translated to English, like in the 2016 contest.[97]
Other countries
Eligibility for participation in the Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active EBU membership,[98] or a special invitation from the EBU as in the case of Australia. Several countries have provisionally confirmed their participation in the contest, while information from the remaining members regarding their participation has not yet been disclosed.Active EBU members
Andorra – The Director General of Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra
(RTVA) announced on 14 May 2017 that Andorra would not participate in
the contest, due to financial difficulties and the restructuring of the
company.[99]
Bosnia and Herzegovina – On 18 September 2017, BHRT confirmed that Bosnia and Herzegovina would not return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018.[100]
Luxembourg – Steve Schmit, the Director of Programming at the Luxembourgish broadcaster (RTL)
explained last year the reasons against participating in the Eurovision
Song Contest. He also underlined that Luxembourg’s chance for success
in the contest is limited, "I believe that (with) the enlargement of
Eurovision, the days (of victory) are gone. With the new voting system,
it is very unlikely that Luxembourg is successful. Small countries are
somewhat more troubled now". Luxembourg last participated in the
Eurovision Song Contest in 1993.[101]
Monaco – On 31 August 2017, Monegasque broadcaster TMC confirmed that Monaco would not participate in the 2018 contest.[102]
Slovakia – Eríka Rusnáková, press spokesperson of the Slovak broadcaster Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), confirmed on 11 September 2017 to Czech Eurovision website Eurocontest.cz that the country would not participate in the 2018 contest.[103]
Turkey – On 12 July 2017, Sertab Erener, who won for Turkey in 2003, announced on an Instagram live chat that Turkey would return and wished luck to the next representative.[104] maNga, the 2010 Turkish representatives[105] and Hadise, the 2009
Turkish Representative, also expressed their interests for Turkey
returning to the contest. Despite these statements, on 7 August 2017,
the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, Bekir Bozdağ, issued a statement saying that there were no plans for a return.[106] The same day, TRT confirmed their non-participation in the 2018 contest.[107]
Associate EBU members
Kazakhstan – Khabar Agency became an associate member of the EBU on 1 January 2016, opening up the possibility of future participation.[108] They broadcast all the shows in 2017. Furthermore, the winner of the Turkvision Song Contest 2014, Zhanar Dugalova, said she would be interested in representing Kazakhstan in the contest.[109]
However, on 25 September, Khabar Agency told Esctoday that: "We have no
information about Kazakshtan’s participation in Eurovison 2018 yet",
maintaining the possibility of the country being invited by the EBU, as
it is entirely at the EBU’s discretion to extend an invitation like in
the case of Australia.[110] The EBU however, chose not to invite Kazakhstan, as seen in the list of participants.[111] On 22 December 2017, it was claimed that Channel 31 had finalised negotiations with the EBU, allowing Kazakhstan to debut in 2019[112], however, on 23 December 2017 the EBU
told Esctoday that: "Channel 31 Kazakhstan has indeed expressed
interest in becoming a Member of the EBU and hence participate in the
Eurovision Song Contest. However, since Channel 31 is outside the
European Broadcasting Area and is also not a member of the Council of
Europe, it is not eligible to become an active Member of the EBU".[113]
Non-EBU members
Kosovo
– Kosovar media reported that RTK was hopeful that they would debut in
the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Portugal. In an article published by
RTK the Director of Television at the Kosovar broadcaster stated that
he had received the support of national broadcasters across the Balkans to participate in the competition. However, both Bosnia & Herzegovina and Serbia had opposed such participation.[114] The EBU then sent a letter to RTK explaining that Kosovo cannot participate in the ESC, because it is not a UN member and it is not a fully recognised state.[115]
Liechtenstein – On 1 September 2017, 1 FL TV, the national broadcaster of the Principality of Liechtenstein confirmed that the country will not debut at the upcoming Eurovision edition in Lisbon.[116] However on 4 November 2017, 1 FL TV announced that they are planning a debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2019.[117]
Commentators and spokespersons
Commentators
Most countries will send commentators to Lisbon or comment from their own country, in order to add insight to the participants and, if necessary, the provision of voting information.- Australia – Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey (SBS, all shows)[118]
- France – Marianne James and Stéphane Bern (France 2, final)[119]
- Hungary – Krisztina Rátonyi and Freddie (Duna, all shows)[120]
- United Kingdom - TBA (BBC Four, semi finals) TBA (BBC One, final) [121]
Non-participating countries
United States – Michelle Visage and Ross Mathews (Logo TV, final)[122]
See also
- Eurovision Asia Song Contest 2018
- Eurovision Young Musicians 2018
- Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018
Notes and references
References
- Adams, William Lee (28 August 2017). "Michelle Visage says Sweden should have won Eurovision 2017 — and confirms 2018 LOGO commentary gig with Ross Matthews". wiwibloggs. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
External links
Finala Selecției Naționale constă în organizarea unui spectacol care se va transmite în direct, în data de 25 februarie 2018.
