Eurovision Song Contest 2009
eurovision song contest th edition eurovision song contest took place moscow russia following country victory contest song believe dima bilan organised european broadcasting union ebu host broadcaster channel one cr contest held olimpiysky arena consisted two semifinal may final may semifinal presented russian model natalia vodianova television presenter andrey malakhov final presented russian television presenter ivan urgant former russian contestant alsou abramova becoming first date time two different set presenter hosted semifinal final fortytwo country participated contest one record fortythree year slovakia returned contest first time since san marino enter due financial issue latvia georgia originally announced intention participate later stated ebu country would participate however georgia later decided withdraw anyway ebu rejected selected song breach contest rule first time since debuting country winner norway song fairytale performed written alexander rybak song jury vote televote received point possible time highest total score history contest iceland azerbaijan turkey united kingdom rounded top five latter achieving best placing since iceland secondplace finish country best placing decade criticism voting system change voting procedure finally made prior contest reintroduction national jury alongside televoting final format semifinal remained contest held russia following victory contest belgrade serbia dima bilans believe vladimir putin thenprime minister russia stated contest would held moscow proposed channel one contest held moscow olimpiysky arena proposal evaluated ebu confirmed september directorgeneral venue vladimir churilin refuted rumour emergency reconstruction building saying required eurovision song contest take thousand spectator following release final participant list ebu country confirmed participation contest including slovakia returned contest year georgia originally announced participate contest due russogeorgian war protest foreign policy russia later decided return contest inspired win junior eurovision song contest well russia point contest country eventually withdrew contest due entry deemed contain political reference including title play word russia prime minister surname rumour arose surrounding participation return san marino monaco télé monte carlo tmc monegasque broadcaster confirmed talk ebu monegasque return contest time rumour spread san marino broadcaster radiotelevisione della repubblica di san marino smrtv would participate contest due poor placing contest end originally confirming intent participate moscow smrtv forced withdraw event due financial difficulty prevented second entry latvian broadcaster latvijas televīzija ltv reportedly withdrawn contest december three day final participation deadline came due budget cut million lat million euro ltv budget hindering ability pay participation fee ltv confirmed informed ebu intent withdraw based solely financial difficulty ltv went discussion ebu attempt find solution would keep country contest december ltv announced would withdrawing contest ebu channel one agreed force financial penalty late withdrawal broadcaster contest ltv also announced intent contest however january announced latvia would participate contest country chose entry contest selection process country selected entry internal selection representing network chose song artist others held national final public chose song artist thirtyseven country participated one two semifinal contest semifinal allocation draw took place january draw running order held march thirtyseven country participated one two semifinal contest big four country france germany spain united kingdom host russia prequalified final addition prequalified final also included ten selected country semifinal making total twentyfive participant discussion change format eurovision song contest taken place ebu meeting athens greece june proposal made could resulted big four losing automatic place final contest however confirmed big four country would continue automatically qualify final contest host broadcaster channel one presented sublogo theme contest january sublogo based upon fantasy bird used many colour previous year sublogo presented alongside generic logo year since introduction slogan one stage designed new yorkbased set designer john casey based around theme contemporary russian avantgarde casey previously designed stage eurovision song contest dublin also involved design team contest explained even worked russian tefi award moscow inspired drawn art russian avant garde period especially constructivist tried come theatrical design contest incorporates russian avantgarde art contemporary setting almost entirely made different type led screen casey explained together various led shape form finished product furthermore large section stage move including circular central portion curved led screen moved effect allow song different feel music accompanying postcard used introduce participating country written produced british electronic musician matthew herbert postcard opened word moskva москва transliterated russian way say moscow continued appearance miss world ksenia sukhinova russia group famous landmark participating country shown computer animation animation would simulate popup book page turn showing different landmark sukhinova reappeared wearing hat comprising landmark shown well different hairstyle makeup time tshirt colour respective country flag russian video exact appearance sukhinova shown first part every video different hairstyle shown russian entry right contest logo appeared name flag country finally phrase transliterated russian word english translation shown word shown following listed alphabetical order friday january draw decide country would appear either first second semifinal took place marriott royal aurora hotel participating country excluding automatic finalist france germany host country russia spain united kingdom split six pot based upon country voting pot half close half possible competed first semifinal may half particular pot compete second semifinal may draw running order semifinal final order voting occurred march cosmos hotel response broadcaster continued complaint politically charged neighbourly diaspora voting ebu evaluated voting procedure used contest possibility change voting system contest organiser sent questionnaire regarding voting system participating broadcaster reference group incorporated response suggestion next year format telewizja polska tvp polish broadcaster suggested international jury similar one used eurovision dance contest introduced eurovision song contest lessen impact neighbourly voting place emphasis artistic value song jury would lead less political diaspora voting jury member mandated music industry expert would also say addition random member public decided contest final country vote would decided combination televoting result national jury method selecting semifinal qualifier remained part nine country instead ten year past qualifying semifinal based televoting result tenth qualifier semifinal highest placed country backup jury scoreboard already qualified chosen final final country combined – point televote – jury point create national scorecard country point received point second placed country received point third placed country received point point tie arose song higher televote position given advantage higher point value national jury originally phased contest beginning televoting become mandatory nearly participant since edgar böhm director entertainment austria public broadcaster österreichischer rundfunk orf stated format two semifinal still incorporates mix country politically favoured voting process unless clear guideline semifinal organised made ebu austria taking part moscow despite inclusion jury voting final austria return contest participating country jury five music industry professional including one jury chairperson judge entry taking part final decision based second dress rehearsal name jury member must revealed respective participating broadcaster final jury member national jury make ranking ten favourite song award point point chairperson allocate point song obtained highest number vote jury member point song obtained second highest number vote point song obtained third highest number vote point next point song obtained tenth highest number vote jury member event tie position order tying song shall ascertained show hand jury member abstention allowed jury consist variety member term age gender background jury member must citizen country representing none jury member must connected participating songsartists way cannot vote independently participating broadcaster must send letter compliance voting instruction together signed declaration jury member stating vote independently jury voting monitored independent notary auditor country – quote eurovisiontv first semi final took place moscow may united kingdom germany voted semifinal withdrawal georgia originally drawn perform semifinal second semi final took place moscow may france russia voted semifinal spain also scheduled televote semifinal due scheduling error tve semifinal aired late spanish viewer able vote spanish jury vote used instead finalist big four country france germany spain united kingdom host country russia top nine country first semifinal plus one wildcard jury top nine country second semifinal plus one wildcard jury final took place moscow may mst utc norway spokesperson voting order spokesperson final follows glitch total televote count two semifinal grand final second semi final spain albania delay broadcasting show meant result provided backup jury final sm voting method used provide hungarian public voting score televotes could counted due technical problem norway jury vote used technical mistake local telephone operator rendered televotes sm text unusable full split jurytelevoting result final announced ebu july point summary maximum point country awarded another st semifinal point summary maximum point country awarded another nd semifinal point summary point final country sent commentator moscow commentated country order add insight participant necessary provide voting information australia – although australia eligible enter contest broadcast special broadcasting service sb previous year first semifinal broadcast friday may second semifinal saturday may final sunday may show broadcast local time utc year instead airing united kingdom commentary broadcaster sent commentator julia zemiro sam pang also anchored number behind scene interview piece inserted assigned various broadcast recent year contest one sbss highestrating programme term viewer number contest rated well sb viewer tuning final second semifinal first semifinal sb also broadcast junior eurovision eurovision dance contest leadup eurovision song contest eurovision dance contest broadcast sb wednesday may local time utc junior eurovision song contest broadcast wednesday may local time utc sb also broadcast ebu produced eurovision countdown show may local time utc semifinal final austria – österreichischer rundfunk orf confirmed despite austrian entry competition would broadcast contest television semifinal broadcast orf time delay beginning past midnight cet song presentation show broadcast night final broadcasting live voting final entire eurovision final broadcast later night three show commentator hitradio ö radio presenter benny hörtnagl new zealand – although new zealand eligible enter final contest broadcast triangle tv satellite channel stratos may also compilation two semifinal may eurovision song contest final may first time year contest broadcast new zealand final broadcast local prime time hour show finished moscow additionally official eurovision song contest website also provided live stream without commentary via peertopeer medium octoshape contest experienced several controversy incident leadup including interpretation georgia entry attack russian prime minister conflict armenia azerbaijan stemming inclusion monument disputed region represent armenia video introduction spain broadcaster showing semifinal tape delay scheduling conflict protest russia treatment lgbt people coincide contest armenia azerbaijan experienced several conflict contest first semifinal representative azerbaijan complained ebu introductory postcard preceding armenian entry since video clip included depiction mountain monumental statue located unrecognized nagornokarabakh republic considered de jure part azerbaijan result complaint statue edited final however armenia retaliated result presentation monument displayed video screen background presenter sirusho read result clipboard decorated photo monument also allegation number shown public call vote armenia entry telecast azerbaijan representative denied allegation showing video showed untampered signal armenian performance however subsequent ebu investigation found azerbaijani broadcaster ictimai tv blurred number armenia entry distorted tv signal armenian contestant performing stage ebu fined ictimai tv undisclosed sum said threatened exclude broadcaster competition three year infraction eurovision song contest rule made august number azerbaijani voted armenia entry contest summoned questioning ministry national security baku accused unpatriotic potential security threat incident initiated ebu investigation resulted change eurovision rule allow country participating broadcaster liable disclosure information could used identify voter despite conflict armenia gave azerbaijan point final second final time two country exchanged point armenia previously gave point azerbaijan semifinal contest due commitment broadcast madrid open tennis tournament spanish broadcaster televisión española tve broadcast second semifinal tape delay channel la approximately minute show began moscow result tape delay broadcaster also utilized backup jury rather televoting decide vote tve already switched voting second semifinal due another scheduling conflict already sparked criticism neighboring andorran portuguese delegation stated spanish vote would positively influenced performance first semifinal day following semifinal local newspaper el mundo speculated rtve may administered delay purpose order prevent spain winning contest claiming broadcaster would ready host contest spain win statement abc cited technical difficulty delay semifinal ebu announced spain would face sanction action contest also stated participation contest moscow would affected spanish entry la noche e para mí fare well contest placing th final placed compete first semifinal may national final held georgia select entry selected entry stephane g dont wanna put gained coverage controversy due perceived political connotation within lyric relating russian prime minister vladimir putin ebu rejected song due political connotation calling clear breach contest rule ebu asked georgian broadcaster georgian public broadcaster gpb march change either lyric song select new song compete country gpb refused change lyric song claiming song contained political reference rejection ebu due political pressure russia gpb withdrew georgia contest march band admitted political content song intention embarrass putin moscow russian gay right activist nikolai alekseev used contest presence russia platform promoting country position right lgbt people countering moscow mayor yury luzhkovs view homosexuality satanic alekseev announced edition moscow pride city annual gay pride parade would coincide final may day international day homophobia parade also renamed slavic pride promote gay right culture across entire slavic region europe parade denied authorisation moscow official basis would destroy moral society statement issued stating protester would treated toughly tough measure would faced anyone joining march rally broken moscow police protester arrested including nikolai alekseev human right campaigner peter tatchell exclaimed show russian people free taken away police sweden representative malena ernman supported cause saying homosexual would proud call gay support fan stating sad moscow government would allow tribute love occur winner contest norway alexander rybak also referred controversy interview called eurovision song contest biggest gay parade dutch group de topper made news member gordon threatening boycott final gay parade violently beaten however group failure qualify final left threat redundant addition main winner trophy marcel bezençon award barbara dex award contested eurovision song contest ogae general organisation eurovision fan voting poll also took place contest marcel bezençon award organised since sweden thenhead delegation representative christer björkman winner richard herrey honour song contest final award divided three category artistic award composer award press award ogae organisation forty eurovision song contest fan club across europe beyond conduct annual voting poll first held marcel bezençon fan award vote cast topranked entry poll also winner contest norway fairytale performed alexander rybak top five result shown barbara dex award humorous fan award given worst dressed artist year named belgium representative came last contest wearing selfdesigned dress award handed fansite house eurovision carried fansite songfestivalbe since eurovision song contest moscow official compilation album contest put together european broadcasting union released emi record cmc international may album featured song entered contest including semifinalist failed qualify grand final medium related eurovision song contest wikimedia common eurovision song contest official site lyric diggiloo thrush