A Dal Eurovision 2020 Viewing Figures

If you’d like it to be summed up quickly, here it comes: no Eurovision, no party.

That’s how A Dal 2020’s fate can be described so far, at least when it comes to viewing figures. As you probably know at this stage, Hungarian broadcaster MTVA has withdrawn from the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2020. However, it’s retained the national selection show A Dal, which… will select Hungary’s song of the year!

Now we don’t know what MTVA bosses had in mind, but the public apparently didn’t flock to watch the first heat of a slightly revamped show which has barely anything at stake.

In fact — despite boasting familiar names like Kati Wolf and Olivér Berkes — the new season has kicked off to a disastrous start. The premiere episode on Saturday 1 February recorded the lowest viewing figures in the competition’s nine-year history.

Record low viewing figures for A Dal 2020

(Vigyázat, a poszt nyomokban szarkazmust tartalmaz!) Sosem látott siker A Dal 2020-ban! Az eurovíziótlanított nemzeti…

Posted by Köztévé Blog on Wednesday, February 5, 2020

The above graphic, created by Köztévé Blog, paints a bleak picture for the once-mighty show.

Let’s break down the numbers.

Only 204,000 people watched the debut episode of this year’s competition. This new low beats the previous record set in 2019 when 270,786 people tuned in to the opening night. That series ultimately sent Joci Pápai to Eurovision for a second time.

To put these numbers in a wider perspective, A Dal 2020 achieved a mere 4.7% share of all TV audiences on Saturday 1 February. By comparison, the opening night of A Dal 2013 attracted 912,719 viewers and won an 18.9% share.

It has been downhill ever since.

The falling figures may be part of the reason why the Eurovision element of the competition was axed. However, if anything, it seems that that move has just worsened the rot.

What do you think? Should A Dal be axed? Or should it become a national final once more? Let us know in the comments.

Read more Hungary Eurovision news here

31 Comments
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Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

I know you guys aren’t covering it but still, I need someone to acknowledge how f’n stupid the judges on A Dal are this year (not that they’re not stupid every year but hey…).
In heat 2, they gave 40 pts (4×10) to a girl who sang out-of-tune for pretty much her full performance. They continue to give 9s and 10s to ANY band, regardless of ability. Any male vocalist trying to sing a modern song automatically finds himself with 6s and 7s.

*Sigh* Hungary, please don’t come back if you intend to use this show as your selection method…

eef
eef
3 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

Dude, Reni Orsovai is the singer on Nene. You said she sang bad. And yet she win the entire god damn thing at the end?

eef
eef
3 years ago
Reply to  eef

won*

Ben R
Ben R
4 years ago

*Curb Your Enthusiasm theme plays*

Danny
Danny
4 years ago

Not surprising at all as music is getting worse and worse every single year from 2005 to today, it should be called Americavision as no one comes with music of their background, let it be a pop song, quality, catchy, understandable, singable pop song with each countries folk added to it, like this its same as listening western top chart rubbish.

Valentino
Valentino
4 years ago

From the graph, it’s clear that the show was already declining (2019 was already very low) even if Eurovision participation was the prize…No need to be so dramatic in the Headline!

Matthew
Matthew
4 years ago
Reply to  Valentino

It’s airing at a bad time, with poor songs and a very bad jury. The voting system also sucked. No wonder that Europeans and Hungarians would rather watch another national final and not this one. But this does seem like a drastic change now that there’s really no prize.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

the header photo as me scrihming hahahaha

James
James
4 years ago

Gunsmoke Rule is now in effect.

#LongLiveTVBTN

KuhKatz
KuhKatz
4 years ago

So predictable…. I said it from the moment they announced the withdrawal, A Dal will not be a successful show without the Eurovision prize.

And traditionally, the first show is always one of those with the highest viewing figures because people are curious, how it is. So a further downfall wouldn‘t be surprising at all.

Apple
Apple
4 years ago

I’m sad because I love Hungary and their language but if you’re gonna choose not to participate because of politics then bye

Jake
Jake
4 years ago

Bye Felicia!
Let this be the last article about A Dal on here
If Hungary doesn’t think ESC is for them, then we don’t think A Dal is for us

Ioa Ioa
Ioa Ioa
4 years ago
Reply to  Jake

Best comment. Honestly, nobody care about A Dal. Nobody.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

Hungary: Sorry folks, we’re not doing Eurovision this year. But we are doing the selection show you weren’t watching anyway!
Hungarians: Aight imma head out
(Was that OK? Did I meme properly?)

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

I just think it’s weird that they’re trying to make it seem like it could function as something other than a Eurovision selection. Bruh, THAT’S WHAT YOU MADE IT FOR. This isn’t like Sanremo where it could keep functioning if you took the Eurovision element out of it. It’s more like if you tried to pass off Dansk Melodi Grand Prix or Australia Decides as its own thing. If you take Eurovision out of it, you kinda lost its main purpose for existing, and I don’t think your idea of what A Dal was made for was really what you… Read more »

Tuvia
Tuvia
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Agree. Song contests that have run for a long time and weren’t originally made for Eurovision selection, like FIK and SanRemo work to do without having the Eurovision. But a show originally made for it, and then remove the eurovision element? It might work with huge long-running shows like Melodifestivalen that have been around since 1959, but A Dal? No way. On a side note, if Sweden would ever for any reason not be able to participate in Eurovision (which hasn’t happened since 1976), I am pretty sure they would run Melodifestivalen anyway. It has grown into its own thing.… Read more »

Africavision
Africavision
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Lol nice one. Let me try another…

MTVA: “A Dal will support the valuable productions created by the talents of Hungarian pop music directly.”

Hungarian Eurovision fans: “Yass gurrl yass!… See you in Rotterdam! We gon’ slay!” *insert twerk meme*

MTVA: “A Dal would not be used to select Hungary’s entry for the 2020 contest.”

Hungarian Eurovision fans: “Say what now?” *insert side eye meme*

*EBU releases the final list of participants, which excludes Hungary*

Hungarian Eurovision fans: “A Dal… honey, sweety, darling… Read my lips… You’re dead to us! Dead! DEUCES!”

xohxoh
xohxoh
4 years ago

It’s what they deserve.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
4 years ago

They get what they deserve.

jack
jack
4 years ago

So its even more obvious now that the reason why they wont participate in 2020 is the anti gay agenda. In my opinion they will continue spending money on a show with low ratings just for the shake of supporting “local talent”

Pedro
Pedro
4 years ago

Whoa… if TV ratings are so low, imagine how low the YouTube visits of the performances can be! I watched some of them yesterday, because I remember they still had A Dal even when not taking part in ESC. It’s as if some competing part was lost. Hope to see Hungary back in 2021, though. Leaving politics aside, they gave good songs both at ESC and in A Dal.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

I watched it. I don’t think it was an ESC-issue. It was a quality issue. I only liked one song so it was a long show.

Darren
Darren
4 years ago

Hopefully this entices them back next year. Genuinely going to miss Hungary in Rotterdam.

Eurovision, and particularly the Hungarian entry is clearly important to the people, so it’s such a silly move to stay away this year.

Jose
Jose
4 years ago

It’s what she deserves.

Jo.
Jo.
4 years ago

it’s been a downhill since 2014, so the non-esc factor isn’t really the main cause here. Maybe the jury power is.

Mykey
Mykey
4 years ago
Reply to  Jo.

Yes, but after 2014 and mainly because of Conchita.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Mykey

Was Conchita in A Dal? I don’t understand.

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

No, because it’s rumored that Hungary is no longer in esc because it’s “too gay”

Mr Vanilla Bean
Mr Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

And to think that Hungary 2009 was like the gayest thing ever. And not in the good way.

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago
Reply to  Mykey

Yeah, they hated her didn’t they? I mean, she only got 10 points from Hungary.

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
4 years ago

I mean, they should’ve seen it coming. Esc fans who watch it to see whose gonna be the representative aren’t gonna care anymore…especially not fans from outside of Hungary.