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Juries also get 50% stake in Semi-Final result

11 October 2009 at 12:24 CEST

Participating EBU Member Broadcasters overwhelmingly welcomed the introduction of professional juries in the Final as a positive development. At the same time, viewers, journalists and dedicated fans welcomed the introduction of over 200 judges from the music industry, and sent the EBU letters and emails to ask for  implementation of the format in the Semi-Finals as well.

To increase consistency in the format of the Eurovision Song Contest, juries will also get a 50 percent stake in the results of the Semi-Finals of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, as well as in the Final. Viewers decide upon the other 50 percent of the outcome. The top-10 of the combined result in each Semi-Final qualifies for the Final of Europe's favourite TV-show.

Strict rules were introduced last year to secure the integrity of jury voting. Those rules will remain in place.

About the Reference Group

  The Eurovision Song Contest  Reference Group is the executive Expert Committee for all Members, its  purpose being to control and guide the Eurovision Song Contest. The  Reference Group was established by the European Broadcasting Union's  Television Committee in 1998 and its main tasks are approving the  development and future format of the Eurovision Song Contest, securing  the financing, modernising the brand, raising awareness and  overseeing the yearly preparation by the Host Broadcaster.

 

The Reference Group meets four or five times each year on behalf of  all Participating Broadcasters, and is required to take decisions in the  general interest of the Eurovision Song Contest. The Reference Group is  composed of a Chairman, three elected members of the Entertainment  Experts Group of the EBU, two Executive Producers from previous host  countries, as well as the Executive Producer of the current Host  Broadcaster and the EBU Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor.