SPAIN AND AZERBAIJAN TO FACE EUROVISION FINES?

esctoday.com
Sept 17 2009

The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group that met in Oslo on 10th
September did discuss Spain’s breach of Eurovision Song Contest
rules by broadcasting the semi final on a time delay, rendering a
televote impossible. It has also concluded it’s investigation into
whether Azeri broadcaster Ictimai deliberately blocked or distorted
the picture to blur out the voting number for Armenia.

The Reference Group recommendations about any action to be taken
against Spanish broadcaster after the decision was made to broadcast
the conclusion of a live tennis match meant that the Eurovision
Song Contest semi final show was delayed for Spanish viewers by
approximately one hour. As a result, no televote could take place in
Spain and the country’s semi final vote was made via the back-up jury.

Several reports that Ictimai, the national broadcaster of Azerbaijan,
blurred or blocked the voting number for Armenia during the 2009
Eurovision Song Contest final have also been investigated. If they
are proved to be true, the broadcaster would face punishment. Earlier
today, Ictimai avoided any action by the EBU concerning the national
telecom company issuing records of Eurovision Song Contest voting to
the government, and the ministry of the interior questioning people
that voted for Armenia. The issue of blocking the voting number is
however being investigated separately.

If any punishment is to be made, the decisions would need to be
ratified by the EBU Television Committee. It is likely that the final
decisions will be made public in the next two weeks.