THE MOST ABSURD DECISION IN THE HISTORY OF EBU

Aysor
Sept 17 2009
Armenia

Today was published European Broadcasting Union’s decision on scandal
around interrogations at Azerbaijan’s National Security Ministry of
those who voted in "Eurovision-2009" for Armenia.

In particular, the published decision says:

"The EBU committee responsible for running the Eurovision Song Contest,
the so-called Reference Group, examined the matter at a meeting in Oslo
on 11 September 2009 and decided to amend the rules of the Eurovision
Song Contest to hold the participating broadcaster strictly liable for
any disclosure of information which could be used to identify voters.

The new rule aims to ensure that voters’ privacy is respected, and
if it is not the EBU will be in a position to impose appropriate
sanctions on the offending broadcaster.

The regulations governing the previous editions of the Eurovision
Song Contest imposed an obligation on the telecom companies involved
in the televoting to respect the privacy of the voters. However, the
EBU does not have an ability to impose sanctions on them, therefore
the new rule was developed."

At the first onset some logical questions arise.

1. If EBU has to adopt new rules which will provide voters’ privacy
it just confirms that Azerbaijan’s voters’ privacy was strongly
violated. Nonetheless, the country-organizer of Eurovision Dance
Contest 2010 and large petrodollars owner has not been penalized. Why?

2. Why broadcaster must be responsible for breach of privacy and
be sanctioned?

3. Why EBU which guarantees fair, open voting for television audiences
hasn’t yet taken care of appropriate sanctions regarding breach rules?

4. On what basis EBU cooperate with private Digame mobile company
which carries out the counting of votes not being able to prevent
the arbitrary and illegality of voting?

It seems all these questions will remain unanswered.

Nonetheless, such absurd decisions will give a start to a new round
of proceedings and perturbations all around Europe.