HENCEFORTH FOUR COUNTRIES AND WINNER OF PREVIOUS CONTEST TO ALWAYS TAKE PART IN FINAL OF EUROVISION
Noyan Tapan
Oct 23, 2007
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Braodcasting Union has
reconsidered the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest. According
to the information provided to a Noyan Tapan correspondent by
Diana Mantsakanian, the Head of International Relations at ARMTV,
henceforth, two semi-finals will be held. 10 countries will be elected
in each semi-final, 9 out of which by telephone calls and messages
of television watchers, and the other one by the jury. Besides
the 20 countries, which passed those stages, and the winner of the
previous contest, since 2008 four countries: England, France, Spain,
and Germany, which pay the greatest sums for the participation in
the Eurovision Song Contest, will always take part in the final of
the contests.
It was mentioned that both of the semi-finals will be broadcast on
the same day, that will be a live broadcast, however, Armenians will
watch only that semi-final, in which the representative of Armenia
will take part.
Diana Mnatsakanian stated that they have already started to accept
participation applications for the Eurovision-2008 and that it will
continue until the end of December. Public hearings will be held by
"H1" (Public TV) in February 2008, and the singer, who will represent
Armenia in the contest will be decided on the bases of the messages
sent by television watchers.
It was also mentioned that according to the rules developed by
"H1", henceforth singers are to present the works of only Armenian
composers. "We do not want to present the works of foreign composers
of songs in the authoritative contest. We aim at presenting the
songs written by Armenian composers in the contest. Thus, both famous
composers, as well as beginners have an opportunity to present their
works to society," Diana Mnatsakanian mentioned.