Finland’s national selection for Eurovision 2015, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) 2015 comes to an end tomorrow. Nine artists will perform their songs and try to convince the Finnish people at home to vote for them. In addition to the televote, eight juries will also give their points. The final result will be determined by 90% public televote and 10% civil jury votes.
The eight UMK juries are made up of different types of Finnish people from various backgrounds, such as Swedish-speaking Finns or certain professions, such as taxi drivers. There is also a jury whose members were chosen by an open search. Each jury consists of four people.
Some of the most notable people in the juries are singer-songwriter Maija Vilkkumaa, videoblogger Veronica Verho, known as mariieveronica and Finnish NRJ’s radio host Laura Haimila. Sami Luukela, our Finnish correspondent, is also a jury member.
Children
Iina Virtanen, chairperson
Ilari Virtanen
Lumi Kurri
Leimu Leisti
LGBT-community
Mikko Silvennoinen, chairperson
Laura Haimila
Jukka Kuronen
Alina Toivainen
Marjukka Erpilä, chairperson
Riitta Poikajärvi
Elina Huttunen
Kirsti Aarnio
Music makers
Maija Vilkkumaa, chairperson
Sinikka Svärd
Matti Mikkola
Heikki Salo
Media
Paula Noronen, chairperson
Antti Aro
Sami Luukela
Veronica Verho
By open search
Minja Nätti, chairperson
Mikko Ahola
Katariina Kähkönen
Jonne Heikkinen
Taxi drivers
Jukka Kuusisto, chairperson
Anssi Roitto
Timo Hietarinne
Cindy Schmidt
(in reserve Lisa Usai)
Finnish Swedes
Janne Grönroos, chairperson
Fredrika Lindholm
Martina Rustén
Hans- Erik Kotkamaa
@ Nebi: I was thinking about the LGBT Eurovision fanbase, but I didn’t get Sami’s point at first.
Why does the LGBT community make more sense than taxi drivers?
I SIMPLY LOVE FINLAND
Hi blondboybc – I’m all for juries especially “expert” juries in NFs who may bring a bit of sanity and reality especially in Finland, but you have to give them some clout say 25% to 50% of the vote in order to influence the positions………………if that is what you want to do of course? 90% or 100%…………what is the difference. The televote will carry anyway!!
Hopefully the children at least won’t vote for PKN
Eugene: I’m sure YLE has it reasons for only allowing the jury 10% clout. Perhaps Sami can answer that question?? 🙂
Lanti: Taxi drivers listen lots of radio!
I was more curious to how they decided which groups to use in the jury. The media, music industry, and LGBT community make sense. But why taxi drivers? How did they choose that group?
I’m not sure there is any point of a jury which only has 10% clout?? I always felt the Finnish result may not be as cut and dried as most think, but it would have to be very very close between the first few for 10% to make any difference at all to the televote result. Strange decision.