ARMENIAN VIEWERS OPEN THE WAY
esctoday.com, Netherlands
March 30 2007
The Eurovision Song Contest that was held last year in Athens had
a newcomer from the ‘far east’ of Europe. The young singer Andre
represented Armenia with his cheerful up-tempo song Without Your Love
and received a decent 8th place in the final. The gate to Eurovision
was opened for other Transcaucasian countries Georgia and Azerbaijan.
When the Istanbul 2004 and Kyiv 2005 contests were broadcast in
Armenia, no one knew this would change the future of the Eurovision
Song Contest. By email and telephone, an enormous quantity of Armenian
viewers expressed their wish for their country to participate in the
Contest. Yet it was not that easy for Armenia to participate. According
to the rules of the European Broadcasting Union, television channels
must not only have broadcast the contest the previous years, they
must be active members of the broadcaster’s union to enter the
competition. Armenia could not participate in the Contest until they
were accepted into active membership during the EBU General Assembly
in Dubrovnik (Croatia). This opened the door for Armenia and other
Transcaucasian countries to participate in one of the world’s biggest
television events: The Eurovision Song Contest.
In 2005 together with Georgian Tele and Radio Broadcasting, the Public
Television Company of Armenia became an active member of the European
Broadcasting Union (EBU). A year later young Andre was sent to Athens
to represent 3 million Armenians. According to many Armenians that
was an important milestone in the country’s history.
They saw Armenia’s participation in Eurovision as the opening of gates
to Europe. This year the Eurovision Song Contest is welcoming Georgia
with its debut. Georgia is realizing its Eurovision dream by sending
the young singer Sopho Kalvashi to Helsinki, who will be performing
the song Visionary dream.
Next year the Contest could welcome Azerbaijan. The Azeri Television
became an active member of EBU in January 2007. The country’s
membership was accomplished too late to be able to participate this
year in Helsinki. Azeri’s should be able to realize their Eurovision
dream next year, in…. Well, that location will be the surprise for
Azeri’s and millions of Eurovision viewers.