Eurovision Oslo 2010:Juries will decide 50% of the Semifinal's votes

After the introduction of professional juries in the Final of the Eurovision Song Contest this year, it was decided by the contest's Reference Group that music industry professionals will also get a 50 percent stake in the outcome of the Semi-Finals.

Participating EBU Member Broadcasters overwhelmingly reviewed the introduction of professional juries in the Final as a positive development. At the same time, viewers, journalists and dedicated fans welcomed the introduction of over 200 judges from the music industry, and sent the EBU letters and emails to ask for implementation of the format in the Semi-Finals as well.

To increase consistency in the format of the Eurovision Song Contest, juries will thus also get a 50 percent stake in the results of the Semi-Finals of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, as well as in the Final. Viewers decide upon the other 50 percent of the outcome. The top-10 of the combined result in each Semi-Final qualifies for the Final of Europe's favourite TV-show.

Strict rules were introduced last year to secure the integrity of jury voting. Those rules will remain in place.

source: eurovision.tv