Eurovision 2014 - 06/08/10 May 2014

I don't think the semi finals should go although I do think the Big 5 & host should perform in it to give more exposure to them. Plus the number of entrants can be as many as 52 if they all decide to take part. As much as I enjoy eurovision, I wouldn't want to sit through a six hour show.

I think everyone competitor should vote in both semi finals.

However, bloc voting - this isn't really a problem as it is more a representation of culture and similar interests. It'd be the same for food Austria & Germany both like sausages same way Russia and Azerbaijan probably like the same foods.

Whilst I'm here, this is what i'd do for our entrant next year; ballad with a semi political message saying sorry for Iraq & Afghanistan and other things you didn't like us doing but we're gonna rise from it and retake our place as a respectful world power and share some love with the world. After all, we're all the same in the end.

Perhaps reduce the weighting the juries have on the songs to address the Poland issue too.

You can't expand the final beyond 26. It lasted 210 minutes with 26 entrants, an absolute maximum even for me. Restricting the language would be grossly unfair on some states. Barring entry on the basis of previous performance also introduces issues, campaigns to vote countries out for example. Everything contest wise seems fine now, even with the advertising forced extended intervals.

The one idea should numbers rise again to 45+ might be the need for a third semi-final. Allocating 6/7 final places from each with fields of 13+. per SF. An absolute max of 27 finalists.

Also, they tried restricting the language previously and it resulted in some countries making up languages to appeal to the rest of Europe. Also would a song in Russian appeal to the rest of Europe compared to French or German? Then you do encourage bloc voting.

Why not have regional semi finals?

[quote="DVB Cornwall" pid="916352"]You can't expand the final beyond 26. It lasted 210 minutes with 26 entrants, an absolute maximum even for me. Restricting the language would be grossly unfair on some states. Barring entry on the basis of previous performance also introduces issues, campaigns to vote countries out for example.
[quote]
Yes. Totally agree - the reason the dual semifinal was introduced was to avoid relegation, which caused some countries not to show the contest, as they couldn't either enter or vote. If that's the case, why show it?

The language rule won't be reintroduced now - it's an anachronism. (It just gave the UK, Ireland and Malta an unfair advantage by being able to sing in English. Notice how the UK and Ireland haven't won since it was removed in '98, (Up until then in the late '80s/early '90s, Ireland won all the time...)



To be fair - the long 8'30" ad break is in the vote collation window - so it doesn't add to the running time as you'd need to fill it with something irrespective of whether there was a break or not. The shorter ad breaks do extend the show time - but add up to less than 5'00" The one mid-voting is the real killer.



I doubt we'll see a third semifinal - but adding a couple of songs to the current ones would be possible (we had fewer songs this year). I think you could go to 22 per semifinal poss 23 (which would allow you to have 51 countries?) - still selecting the best 10 from each.

They did something a bit like that one year in the early 90s - when they had a pre-selection show for some countries.

I suggest a limit on the semi finals of 120mins is about right if not a little long hence my 'third semi' idea. Any longer introduces weekday scheduling issues, hence my only introduce if over 45 entrants suggestion.

Exact what issues do you think they would solve? You're making up imaginary issues it seems.

The semi-finals are part of the process now - there is the argument the Big 5 do themselves no favours by going straight to the final, but money talks.

English isn't really a problem either - countries have the option and it's only fair most choose to participate in the language most of Europe recognises. OK, the show has lost a bit of it's quirkiness as a result but commercially it's the far better option for both the contest and the people who enter it.

And you don't think 26 songs was enough? NOBODY ever says the Eurovision should be longer!

Certainly not. It's a serious competition that just happened to be won by a woman with a beard.

I think the issue with the third semifinal is it wouldn't fit. You need Mon/Tue for SF1, Wed/Thu for SF2 and Fri/Sat for GF. You couldn't hold a third SF on the previous Sat/Sun could you? Would be very odd.

The one thing that they would want to avoid at all costs is real shows on consecutive nights. Would be horrific.

IF Needed I'd suggest Semis M/W?F - Final Sunday as the revised pattern. Anyway 45+ isn't likely for a while if at all.

The Running Order should be completely random and, In the spirit of fairness, I would get rid of the 'Big Five' and make them go through the semis. There would be more motivation for those countries to up their game rather than suffer the humiliation of being knocked out. The only country that should be guaranteed a place in the final is the previous winner. That coupled with there only being 10 let through from each semi would mean a maximum of 21 finallists. I also like the idea of there being more than 2 semis... Anything to make the nights shorter.

PS.. am i alone in thinking that this year was a terrible year with mostly bland and boring songs, and that the only reason Austria won was because of the bearded lady?