Eurovision 2018 Grand Final also aired on US radio

05 May 2018 at 19:26 CEST
Flags of the United States. Kevin Lanceplaine
The Grand Final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest will not only be broadcast on television in the United States this year. Today, the EBU announces that US based radio station WJFD, the largest Portuguese FM radio station outside Portugal, will be broadcasting the Grand Final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest as well — commentary included!

Based in Massachusetts, WJFD 97.3 FM is the only FM-based Portuguese radio station in North America and the biggest FM station outside of Portugal broadcasting in the Portuguese language. WJFD has become the most-listened-to Portuguese radio station in the New England area providing news, sports and entertainment news. 

Entertainment production company Cargill Gardiner Corp. from Los Angeles will be providing Portuguese and English language commentary. 

Commentary will be provided by Ewan Spence, who has been covering the Eurovision Song Contest since 2009, providing radio documentaries, news features, and in-depth reporting of the contest. He has also been commentator for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest on UK radio since 2013.

Lisa-Jayne Lewis joins Ewan as co-commentator. While originally from the UK, she spent five years living in Boston, Massachusetts. Lisa Jayne has been following the Eurovision Song Contest since 1992 and has co-commentated with Ewan on various occasions.

Ana Filipa Rosa, who will provide commentary in Portuguese, has worked at broadcaster RTP since 2015. She hosts a daily radio show in DP Internacional aimed to strengthen the connection between Portuguese communities all over the world. Since last September Ana has also been part of a new radio station devoted to children, Radio Zig Zag.      

Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the EBU, says: "We are delighted that the Eurovision Song Contest can be broadcast live on FM Radio in the United States for the first time this year, through Cargill Gardiner Corp. and WJFD. Each year we strive to give as many people access to the contest as possible, and to share it with new audiences, so we are pleased we can continue to support and strengthen our growing fan base in America in this way."

Just a few weeks ago, the EBU announced that Logo TV will once again broadcast the Grand Final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in the United States, on TV as well as online.

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