Surprise submission entry by Sony BMG Hellas to ERT

oikotimes.com reports:

Sony BGM Hellas seems to prepare asurprise entry to ERT for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest representation.

According to secure information a female artist known for been popular in the Athens night music halls with huge success in her live appearances there, is preparing an oriental ethnic entry, in dance rhythm.

ERT is expecting the entry to be submitted by early or mid December. Sony BMG Hellas officially is not confirming the news but oikotimes.com will have a clear information and name revelation by next Tuesday.

One thing is for sure, the name revelation will cause a somewhat mini earthquake in the Greek media and press.

There is no decision yet whether officially ERT is heading towards national or internal selection.

D'NASH prepare Christmas and New Year's show!

esctoday.com reports:

December will be a busy month for the boys as they release their latest album and hence will start promoting it. Spanish fans and viewers will be treated to many appearances by the Spanish boyband during the Christmas and New Year's season both on national and regional Spanish television channels. Below you can find the schedule of the shows and channels D'NASH will be appearing in.

9th December - Mister and Miss Navarra Gala - Canal 9

12th December- La Banda - Canal Sur ( Sevilla)

13th December- Red Cross Gala - Tele Ideal ( Granada)

22nd December - Noche Sensacional - Canal 9- Tele Extramadura - TV Castilla La Mancha

24th December - Christmas Eve Special - Canal Sur

24th December- Christmas Eve Special - TV-7 Murcia

31st December- New Year's Special Gala - TVE 1

31st December- New Year Gala - TV-7 Murcia

Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankulov become heroes in a comic book

Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankulov, the Bulgarian duet, which ranked fifth in the Eurovision contest in 2007, became comic book heroes.
Todorova herself came up with the idea for the story of the comic book, avtora.com said.

Her character would fight against dark forces. She restored the people and animals desire for love with rhythm, songs and dances.

A giant and a skilled hero, resembling Yankulov, help Todorova’s character fight against evil.
The comic book’s message was to keep Earth clean. Todorova and Yankulov would support the cause with their new song Zemya (Earth).

Japanese publishers were already interested in the comic book and planned to release it in Tokyo, avtora.com said.

Currently, Elitsa was writing the second part of the story.

It would be sold with a set of drumsticks, carrying Todorova and Yankulov’s signatures.

source:sofiaecho.com;

photo:elitsatodorova.com

JESC 2007: The complete schedule

The schedule for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest week in Rotterdam has been finalised.

On Monday 3rd December, the event kicks off with an opening party at the Hilton Hotel in Rotterdam.

The first rehearsals and excursions are scheduled for Tuesday 4th December. Find the complete schedule below.

Monday 3rd December

19.30 – 22.00 . Opening party, Hilton Hotel

Tuesday 4th December

09.45 – 16.00 Excursion in Rotterdam

Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, The Netherlands, FYR Macedonia, Ukraine, Sweden, Malta, Greece, Lithuania, Belarus

13.45 – 14.30 . Georgia rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

14.30 – 15.15 . Belgium rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

15.15 – 16.00 . Armenia rehearsal , Ahoy Arena

16.30 – 17.15 . Cyprus rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

17.15 – 18.00 . Portugal rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

18.00 – 18.45 . Russia rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

19.30 – 22.00 . Dance-rehearsal joint song One World, Off-Corso

Wednesday 5th December

09.45 – 16.00 . Excursion in Rotterdam

Georgia, Belgium, Armenia, Cyprus, Portugal, Russia

08.30 – 09.15 . Romania rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

09.15 – 10.00 . Bulgaria rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

10.00 – 10.45 . Serbia rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

11.00 – 11.45 . The Netherlands rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

11.45 – 12.30 . FYR Macedonia rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

13.15 – 14.00 . Ukraine rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

14.00 – 14.45 . Sweden rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

14.45 – 15.30 . Malta rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

16.00 – 16.45 . Greece rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

16.45 – 17.30 . Lithuania rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

17.30 – 18.15 . Belarus rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

20.00 – 22.00 . Sinterklaas evening, Off-Corso

Thursday 6th December

08.30 – 11.30 . Run through, Ahoy Arena

Georgia, Belgium, Armenia, Cyprus, Portugal, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia

12.00 – 13.00 . Press conference, press centre

12.45 – 15.30 . Rehearsal opening show and joint song One World

15.45 – 18.25 . Run through, Ahoy Arena

The Netherlands, FYR Macedonia, Ukraine, Sweden, Malta, Greece, Lithuania, Belarus

20.00 – 22.00 . Euro disco in Off-Corso

Friday 7th December

15.30 – 17.45 . First dress rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

20.15 – 22.30 . Second dress rehearsal, Ahoy Arena

Saturday 8th December

14.00 – 18.00 . Make-up for all countries

20.15 – 22.30 . Live broadcast Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007

23.00 – 02.00 . After party

source:belgovision.com

San Marino joins Eurovision

SMTV, San Marino's state broadcaster confirmed they will join the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade next May.

There is an official application to the European Broadcasting Union.

The attention turns into Italy now because half of the broadcaster is actually owned by RAI, the Italian national broadcaster.

source:oikotimes.com

Verka Serduchka a.k.a. Andrei Danilko in hospital

Verka Serduchka a.k.a. Andrei Danilko has been hospitalized recently with pains in his back.

Danilko was taken to one of Kyiv's private clinics where he was diagnosed with 'infringement of a back nerve and vegetative dysfunction'. That is to say, that besides the pains in a back, hypertension was added to the medical findings.

Verka's manager Igor Klinkov explains that illness of the actor is typical of fatigue. "Last year was a very difficult one for us, It is no surprise, that Andrey is overtired and got hypertension ".

Doctors tried to get Andrei back on his feet as soon as possible, because he has to be present at Phillip Kirkorov's birthday concerts and on December 1st he has to leave for London to continue shooting of the programme for one of the Ukrainian channels.

Andrey's physicians did not give any guarantees, but have treated the problem successfully for the time being.

Andrey Danilko has been dismissed from hospital.

sources:esctoday.com;unian.net

Eurovision Song Contest 2008 format

eurovision.tv reports:

SIX POTS

To determine which country will be represented in which Semi-Final, a draw will take place in late January. Based on research conducted by the EBU’s tele-voting partner Digame, analyzing the voting of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2004, the participating countries will be divided into six pots to avoid returning voting patterns.

BIG FOUR Countries

Each broadcaster will of course have to broadcast the Semi-Final they are taking part in. Broadcast of the other Semi-Final is optional. Host country Serbia and the so called Big Four-countries Spain, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, are automatically qualified for the Final. It was decided that each of the qualified Finalists will have to broadcast and vote in one of the Semi-Final, along with those countries that are taking part in it. Broadcast of the other Semi-Final is optional. By draw, also late January, it will be decided which two of the Big Four-countries will broadcast and vote in the first Semi-Final, and which two in the second Semi-Final. Finally, a draw will determine in which Semi-Final the host country will be able to vote. The draw for the running order of the two Semi-Finals and the Final will take place during the Heads of Delegation meeting in mid-March.

BACKUP JURIES

In each Semi-Final, the top-9 from the public televoting results will qualify for the Final. The highest ranked back-up jury participant that did not qualify for the Final at the public tele-voting will also qualify for the Final. This means in each Semi-Final, 10 participants will qualify for the Final, bringing the total number of participants in the Final to 25. The voting in the Final will remain unchanged and all participating countries, including those who did not qualify for the Final, will be able to vote.

Svante Stockselius, the EBU’s Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said to Eurovision.tv: "We are confident that the approved format revisions will take the Eurovision Song Contest to a higher level, by adding exciting elements and, above all, by making the competition more fair and the results more credible."

First Semifinal: Tuesday, 20.05.2008

Second Semifinal : Thursday, 22.05.2008

Final: Saturday, 24.05.2008

The preliminary date for rehearsals to start is Sunday 11th of May and the preliminary opening date for the press centre and accreditation desk is Saturday 10th of May.