Germany‘s broadcaster NDR has been unexpectedly quiet about its plans for Eurovision 2020. But now fans may be a little closer to finding out more. The broadcaster has confirmed that it will reveal more details about its selection method for Rotterdam near the end of January.
NDR has confirmed the date with both the German Eurovision podcast ESC Greenroom and the German Eurovision news site ESC Kompakt.
Vorentscheid? Interne Auswahl?
Das Warten hat bald ein Ende.
Wie uns der NDR mitteilte, wird es Ende Januar erste Infos über den deutschen #ESC Beitrag geben. pic.twitter.com/iSoH11yymC
— ESC Greenroom (@ESCGreenroom) January 9, 2020
The update follows fan speculation that an announcement was coming this weekend. Regular national final host Barbara Schöneberger is due to make an appearance on the ARD music show Schlagerchampions on Saturday. Fans wondered if she would also reveal something about Germany’s selection plans for Eurovision 2020. NDR’s announcement confirms this is not likely to happen.
How will Germany select its act for Eurovision 2020?
The news follows much speculation of just how Germany is going to select its act for Rotterdam. Compared to last year, details about the 2020 national final are scarce.
One year ago, NDR had already confirmed that it would use a national final, how the show would work, who the competing acts were and even who the interval act was. This year: crickets.
In September, NDR’s partner Digame confirmed that it would again be involved with the selection process. This would include coordinating the Eurovision Panel — a group of specially selected Eurovision fans, and a jury of 20 experts.
However, while in 2019, the broadcaster had shared numerous updates of the process, there have been no such updates this time. We do know that some fans have received rejection letters after applying to be on the panel, suggesting that at least something is going on behind the scenes.
Is internal selection likely for Germany?
The relative silence has led fans to wonder if NDR will use some form of internal selection for Eurovision 2020.
The broadcaster may have been inspired by the Eurovision 2019 success of neighbours Switzerland. The Swiss broadcaster also used Digame’s experts to coordinate a selection panel and jury. But unlike Germany, Switzerland ditched their national final and used the panel and jury to internally select its act.
The result was Luca Hänni with “She Got Me”, who gave Switzerland a fourth-place finish — its best result in over 25 years. Meanwhile, S!sters finished second to last in Tel Aviv, a shockingly poor result, compared to the fourth-place finish Michael Schulte earned in Lisbon the year before.
Whatever method NDR decide to use for its Eurovision 2020 selection, we will know more about it in coming weeks.
What do you think? How should Germany select its act for Rotterdam? Who would you like to see represent Germany at Eurovision 2020? Tell us your thoughts below!
If it’s internal, do a goddamn background check this time so we don’t have another Xavier Naidoo situation.
Ricky Gervais says ‘don’t be so offended snowflake’
Ricky Gervais doesn’t support neo-Nazi groups. Just saying.
Back in September, wiwibloggs reported that NDR would be choosing their song through Unser Lied again. What ever happened to that story?
It’s a shame that Germany thinks that they should change their selection process just because of this bad result. It isn’t the national final that is the problem, but the fact that they chose S!sters when clearly Aly Ryan should have won
Makeda and Lily Among Clouds say hi. 🙂
(So do the rest of the competitors in that final, who were all very strong.)
Makeda is by far my favorite. Ended-up really high on my NF top songs list. Lily and Gregor also had great songs. Ally Ryan was not my personal fav, but I see a lot of potential for mass appeal. Even Sisters had a decent song, but the whole package felt messy.
Please just make it internal, bare us with everything
And obviously, Germany will choose the only wrong option, and will complain : we always had decent songs. In ESC, decent is the worst, you better call Rodolfo Chikilicuatre.
Germany 2019 did give Bar her best moment at Eurovision, though. Silver linings. Maybe this year they can throw Edsilia a curve ball and give her a moment to be remembered. 🙂