Romania:Nico and Vlad Mirita in Greece

esctoday.com reports:

Nico and Vlad has just returned from Greece where they were invited by ERT, the national broadcaster, to participate as guests in the Greek final where they sung their Eurovision entry "Pe-o margine de lume"(At the edge of the world).

Their program was full of interviews to almost every Greek television channel and of course the exclusive interview and photo shoot for the Greek magazine "Downtown" which was a surprise for them as it wasn't on schedule.

The two Romanian participants have talked about the plagiarism case and declared that everything is over. They also prepared the video clip of their song which will be ready in the next days while they are getting ready to continue their promo tour in other countries too.

Full article HERE

Nico and Vlad - Greece National Final


photo:TVR

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.

Michalis Hatzigiannis out of the picture for Greece 2008?

Source: Oikotimes.com
Author Fotis Konstantopoulos (Greece)

THE FACT

The new executive manager of ERT Mr. Johnny Kalimeris said recently on Alpha Television that since he took over the Eurovision project by George Chouliaras who left ERT for Alpha TV, and since the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest ended, he started sounding discussions for the preparation of the Greek broadcaster for the 2008 Eurovision participation.

THE OFF THE RECORD INFORMATION

As we all know, for 2007 ERT asked Michalis Hatzigiannis to compose the Greek entry but the project ultimately came to a dead end. Everyone said back then that Michalis would be a great choice to participate as a singer in 2008. The off the record news around the Greek broadcaster say now that the name of Michalis Hatzigiannis cannot be considered for the 2008 Greek participation.

From what we learned, there are already discussions with various artists, nothing has been decided yet but ERT wants to have an organized plan by the mid of the Fall in order to begin the presentation of the Greek Eurovision project from early January as usual. This time though they want to plan a strategy. Why? Because ERT saw the gains of the Eurovision Song Contest and fortunately for the Greek Fans, the broadcaster is after another victory.

Greece - Eurovision Positive Report

ERT’s report for the Greek participation in the 52nd Eurovision Song Contest held in Helsinki was especially positive. The cost rose to €650,000.

This included amongst others the event for the selection of the Greek song, TV programmes that preceded the event, Sarbel’s promo tour in Europe, the cost of the Greek mission’s stay in Helsinki and the event’s promotion.

Proceeds reached €1,442,000, deriving from:

• Advertising and sponsorships

• SMS messages and telephone calls (Semifinal 10/5 and Final 12/5) in Helsinki

• SMS messages sent and telephone calls made on 28/2 when the Greek song was selected to represent Greece in Helsinki.

source:ert

Mihai Traistariu clears the rumours about Russian representation

from oikotimes.com


MIHAI TRAISTARIU:"It was a joke, of course, for those people who didn't understand...

I said in an interview that I met Phillip Kirkorov twice in my life ... once in Belarus at " Slaviansky bazar " Festival and in 2006 with Dima Bilan for Eurovision. He gave me a card with his phone numbers and he said that he would like to write me a song one day. This year I was in Helsinki to sing in clubs exactly in the period of Eurovision and I saw the contest very closer to the stage. I liked a lot Dima Koldun's song , as I liked a lot last year's entry of Dima Bilan. I know that both songs were written by PHILLIP KIRKORROV ... so ...it was in my mind to try at Eurovision in the next years with his song. That's it. But ...for Romania ! Of course ! ... not for Russia !!!

Speaking of the televoting this year.
From year to year the fans of Eurovision can observe that the neighbour's voting system is more and more dominant in Eurovision and this is an disadvantage for some countries. I don't like to hear " huoooo " when Romania gets 12 points from Moldova or Moldova gets 12 points from Romania. I don't want to hear " huoooo " when Cyprus gives 12 points to Greece. THIS YEAR IT WAS LIKE THIS. I liked a lot the Greece's song this year.And Moldova, too. But ... nobody's happy ... because you never know if it was a real vote ... or it was " our neighbours " ... Even if I would like to be different ...I'm afraid that nothing will be changed in the near future. That's Eurovision . Anyway Romania has to thank a lot to Moldova and Spain in the last years ... but .... we all would like to be different... Look at Malta ... or Belgium. They don't have " neighbours " . Isn't it ? Let's do something !!! I don't know what has to be done , but ... maybe EBU has an idea ... ! See you in EUROVISION !!! "

Mihai Traistariu at Greek National Final singing Dimmi Si o No