Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Name	Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Genre	Song contest
Creator	European Broadcasting Union
Presenter	Various
Country	Various
Language	Various
Num episodes	19
Related	Eurovision Song Contest

Junior Eurovision Song Contest is an annual international song competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants from European countries and beyond, including Australia, Kazakhstan, and others. The contest is open to singers aged between 9 and 14, with each country's national broadcaster responsible for selecting its representative through a national selection process, often involving television shows and online voting platforms, such as those used by BBC, France Télévisions, and RAI. The Junior Eurovision Song Contest has been broadcast in many countries, including United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, with Eurovision fans eagerly anticipating the event each year, often comparing it to other popular song contests like America's Got Talent and The X Factor. The contest has also been covered by various media outlets, including The Guardian, Le Monde, and Corriere della Sera.

History

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest was first held in 2003, with 16 countries participating in the inaugural event, which was won by Dino Jelusić from Croatia, with Spain and United Kingdom coming in second and third, respectively. The contest was created by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) as a spin-off of the Eurovision Song Contest, with the aim of promoting young talent and fostering international cooperation between European broadcasters, including ARD, ZDF, and ORF. Over the years, the contest has grown in popularity, with more countries participating, including Ukraine, Belarus, and Armenia, and has been hosted by various cities, such as Copenhagen, Lillehammer, and Minsk, with Oslo and Stockholm also having hosted the event. The contest has also been supported by various organizations, including UNICEF and European Commission.

Format

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest typically features a live final, where each country's representative performs their song, with a jury and public vote determining the winner, using a system similar to that used in the Eurovision Song Contest, with televoting and jury voting combined to produce the final results. The contest is usually hosted by one or more presenters, such as Timur Miroshnychenko and Zlata Ognevich, who have hosted the event in the past, along with other notable hosts, including Ani Lorak and Ruslana. The show often features interval acts, such as performances by previous winners, including Maria Isabel and Tolmachevy Sisters, as well as other notable artists, such as Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. The contest is also broadcast on various television channels, including RTP, SVT, and NRK, with streaming also available on platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

Participation

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest is open to countries that are members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), with each country's national broadcaster responsible for selecting its representative, often through a national selection process, such as those used by BBC and France Télévisions. Countries that have participated in the contest include Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus, among others, with Kazakhstan and Wales also having participated in the past. The contest has also been broadcast in many countries, including United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, with Eurovision fans eagerly anticipating the event each year.

Winners

The winners of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest are determined by a combination of jury and public voting, with the country receiving the most points being declared the winner, using a system similar to that used in the Eurovision Song Contest. Past winners of the contest include Croatia (2003), Spain (2004), Belarus (2005), and Russia (2006), as well as Georgia (2008), Netherlands (2009), and Armenia (2010), with Italy and Malta also having won the contest in recent years. The winners are often awarded a trophy, as well as a cash prize, and are also given the opportunity to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest, along with other notable events, such as the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Brit Awards.

Voting

The voting system used in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest is similar to that used in the Eurovision Song Contest, with each country's jury and public vote awarding points to their favorite songs, using a system where each country awards 12 points to their favorite song, 10 points to their second favorite, and so on. The country receiving the most points is declared the winner, with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) overseeing the voting process to ensure fairness and transparency, with Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers having audited the voting process in the past. The voting results are often announced live during the broadcast, with the presenters revealing the winners and runners-up, along with other notable participants, such as Alyosha and Sergey Lazarev.

Broadcast

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest is broadcast on various television channels, including RTP, SVT, and NRK, with streaming also available on platforms like YouTube and Vimeo. The contest is often broadcast live, with a delay for countries in different time zones, and is also available on demand after the live broadcast, with BBC iPlayer and France.tv offering streaming services. The contest has also been broadcast in many countries, including United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia, with Eurovision fans eagerly anticipating the event each year, often watching the contest on television or online, with social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram also playing a significant role in promoting the event.

Category:Song contests