As we all know, drama was born in Greece. And apparently ERT, the Greek Public Broadcaster, is keen to emphasise the fact, as they seem unwilling to bring an end the ever-changing saga of Greece’s Eurovision 2017 selection.
Like a giant pendulum, they’re swinging back and forth. First they wanted to go with an internal selection and choose a big name artist. Then they flirted with the idea of a national final. Then they returned to the idea of an internal jury selection. And now, in a fourth change of heart, ERT is going for a national final — albeit one with an unexpected twist. We’re about to have a heart attack…
As we reported last week, ERT decided to go with an internal selection to save money, so that they could promote the act eventually selected. This idea was thoroughly criticised: After the disaster that was Argo, fans want to have a say. After all, Greece also gave birth to democracy. So ERT now wants to find a way to let the people voice their opinion (if only so they won’t complain later) while also saving some euros.
According to INFE Greece, ERT is thinking of organising a national selection show where only the music videos of the potential Eurovision songs will be presented. Based on that and that alone, the public and a professional jury will decide on the winner. It’s very Georgia national final 2015 (which resulted in Nina Sublatti and “Warrior”). The broadcaster won’t have to organise a series of live performances (saving it a lot of money) and the public will have a say (silencing critics).
It is not the first time Greece has staged this type of selection: It do so occasionally in the 1990s. Some might say that ERT is moving backwards rather than forwards.
But what do you think? You can let us know in the comments box below.
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The fact that they haven’t decided on a song yet doesn’t discourage me at all, judging by the entry they handpicked last year. They better have some known and established acts among the selection though, or I’ll rage.
@Charles — Welcome back!!
No report on Greece is complete without your anti-Greek tirades. For a second there, I had thought you were mellowing-out. Glad to see you’re still trolling.
@Adam: That shade was spotless lol “He’s an attractive guy (televotes) with a deep, good voice (jury votes)” LOOL It sumps up in perfection what’s wrong with televotes … do people and the fans even bother to listen to anything while being distracted by the sexiness of the singer? For the last 17 years? Hell no … even a naked leaked full frontal nude these days would be enough to cast that televote …
Well … they can’t really claim they have the money to set anything better as a live performing national final. Even Sweden had a 1986 MF with live performances and and videos all together. Although we got rid of the daily Greece-crisis soap opera a while go, still money doesn’t fall from the sky by snapping fingers … and if it did, it’s a loan that needs to be paid back … if Greece’s politicians know what I’m talking about.
Good luck Hellas (GR) from Infe Greece The Greek Eurovision fanclub /wiwiblogs -George 🙂
As a Greek i think ERT does not give a shit about Eurovision anymore! We keep competing in Eurovision only for advertising reasons! ERT does not really care about a good place for Greece! After crisis nobody really cares about Eurovision in Greece and that is sad…but reasonable! We could be in top 5 every single year but nobody cares except a few Greek Eurovision lovers! I hope someday Greece will come back in Eurovision stronger than ever! Until then i do not think we have much of a chance!
@ Adam
Martakis doesn’t have a good, deep voice. In fact, his voice and his singing are completely unremarkable, which is why he can’t pull off anything too complicated. There is a reason he has always been an also-ran in all the national finals he took part.
LOL
Not a very good idea. Live performances matter. A lot.
No surprise that they can’t make their minds up over this.
My money is still on Demy.
They should just send Kostas Martakis. He’s an attractive guy (televotes) with a deep, good voice (jury votes), but the best thing is he’s not *too* great so he won’t win, which is probably what Greece wants.
@fikri — no, it’s not that.
Greece made a profit back in 2006 when they hosted, so they’d love to be able to win again. Unfortunately, they probably don’t have the money right now to promote and produce an entry as will be necessary to win. Unless, of course, they can find a co-sponsor in the private sector, but that hasn’t happened (or they haven’t looked for one).
ERT will change their mind too many times so,I dont give a…..for every single thing they say
Next week they will maybe say something different
i think that greece is confused because they want to participate and do well but not too well that they will accidentally win and have to host the contest.
This is a cat in the bag. This way, they can choose a good song performed by a weak singer. If so, they can only blame themselves for potential two consecutive years non-qualification.
This is actually similar to how song festivals here in the Philippines are done in recent years (Himig Handog Love Songs, Philippine Pop Music Festival, Metropop Song Festical, etc): Release music videos of competing acts and have songs played on FM stations nationwide as part of their individual campaign to court some votes and the public will vote for their winner for a certain time period before the televised final. It’s in the final itself where the acts will perform their songs live for the first time. I can’t recall if we had a jury involved in at least one… Read more »
“Making your mind up,” the UK’s Eurovision winning song in 1981, perfectly describes this situation. 🙂
This is a horrible idea.
Better to just do an internal selection, but pick an act that people in Greece are familiar with. It’s not that hard.
Hell, why not pick from an act that previously competed in a Greek National Final?? There were plenty of good performances that didn’t get through — Kostas Martakis, Georgina, Thomai Apergi, Tamta, etc. — all reasonably good live performers.
Wow, this system really opens up for people who can’t sing live to go to Eurovision. XD
chaos aside this is a really unique national final concept
like maybe cartoon’s eesti laul video was the start of something bigger ? ? ?
omg greece make your mind up ffs
Hopefully each music video has a different location throughout Greece. I’m gonna explode if all the candidates’ music videos showed them performing in the sameness studio setting.
Margaret must be kicking herself that Poland didnt do this last year!!!!!!
So…pretty much like Israel’s “NF” with voting on a number of music videos? Hope the artists can actually sing live
I’d be happy either with a flawless vocalist like Maria Elegend Kyriagod or with a flawless performer like Helena Paparisus. Greece is full of interesting artists, and let’s all agree on the fact that modern laika is the best music of Europe.
The first line makes me laugh so hard! Thank you, George! xD
Judging live performance is everything. I couldn’t care less about a video. Can they actually sing? Are they good on the stage?
Personally, at this point I am giving up on those ludicrous amateurs running greek public TV.
Could be a risk! You have to judge on the whole package, not just the song. The song might be good but if it is presented poorly it will not do well. You have to see the visual too to get the picture.
KOSTAS MARTAKIS PLEASEEEEE