Eurovision Song Contest 1978
eurovision song contest rd edition annual eurovision song contest took place paris france following country victory contest song loiseau et lenfant marie myriam organised european broadcasting union ebu host broadcaster télévision française tf contest held palais de congrès april directed bernard lion contest presented french television presenter denise fabre léon zitrone first time one presenter hosted contest well first male presenter since twenty country participated highest number competing country history competition time denmark turkey returned contest denmark participated since year winner contest israel song abanibi izhar cohen alphabeta winning entry love song sung hebrew equivalent ubbi dubbi title expansion hebrew word ani meaning israel first eurovision win also first winning song performed one semitic language furthermore also winning song conducted woman nurit hirsh norway finished last fifth time gaining first nul point new voting system implemented event took place paris capital largest city france host venue palais de congrès de paris concert venue convention centre shopping mall th arrondissement paris built french architect guillaume gillet venue inaugurated denmark returned competition absent twelve year turkey missing two year meant first time contest twenty participating nation competing postcard filmed live featuring artist making way stage took corridor elevator leaving lift greeted previous participant made entrance stage camera also made several shot audience notably jane birkin serge gainsbourg song accompanied piece orchestra swedish participant björn skifs unhappy rule every country would perform native language planned sing english anyway changed mind last moment causing completely forget lyric therefore sang first line gibberish finding word israeli win caused problem several north african middleeastern nation televising contest even though participating according author political commentator john kennedy oconnor book eurovision song contest official history israel became clear winner voting arabic station ended transmission contest jordanian tv finished show photo bunch daffodil screen later announcing belgian entry finished second winner contest held april beginning cest fear terrorist attack like summer olympics munich stage invasion like meant security measure around palais de congrès particularly tight police officer undercover agent tried prevent potential incident spectator go metal detector upon arrival palais de congrès addition duty host together denise fabre léon zitrone also served commentator france commentary box backstage country nominated spokesperson responsible announcing vote respective country via telephone known spokesperson contest listed germany – sigi harreis sweden – sven lindahl turkey – meral savcı united kingdom – colin berry summary point final participating broadcaster required relay contest via network nonparticipating ebu member broadcaster also able relay contest passive participant broadcaster able send commentator provide coverage contest native language relay information artist song television viewer tf provided commentary box auditorium foreign broadcaster known detail broadcast country including specific broadcasting station commentator shown table addition participating country contest also reportedly broadcast country including algeria iceland jordan morocco tunisia yugoslavia czechoslovakia east germany hungary poland soviet union via intervision hong kong japan united arab emirate official account viewing figure known exist estimate given french press ahead contest million viewer worldwide oti festival official website