Exclusive: NRK and EBU production teams met in Oslo

The man in charge is Jon Ola Sand (48), recently appointed as NRK's Executive Producer for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. Hasse Lindmo (36) will fullfill the role of Television Producer, while Stian Malme (39) has been asked to take the role of Venue Manager. The latter is well-known within the Eurovision Song Contest community as Norway's Head of Delegation. Finally, Evy Hauffen (56) was appointed Line Producer. She has been involved as production manager during the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest, which also took place in Oslo.

Wednesday and yesterday, the newly appointed production team met with organisers of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to be briefed about the task that lays ahead, to exchange ideas and to lay the foundation of a fruitful and intense cooperation. After a session joined by people from a variety of disciplines, smaller groups were formed to talk through various topics such as the technical aspects of the contest, the content of the three live shows, infrastructure, marketing, branding, new media, press facilities and communication.

Svante Stockselius, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest at the EBU, was impressed by NRK's approach: "They already filled their key positions, did in-depth research to what it takes to organise this enormous event and they are eager to lay the foundations of the production before summer holidays," he explained Eurovision.tv.

NRK is currently in the process of selecting the venue where the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest will take place. The two candidate venues are the Oslo Spektrum, located in the heart of the Norwegian capital, and the Telenor/Fornebu Arena, located 15 minutes driving from the city centre. According to the production team, a venue is likely to be chosen in the next couple of weeks. In September, the EBU Reference Group for the Eurovision Song Contest will visit the preferred venue to officially approve it.