The format for the 2010 Eurovision
Song Contest will be the same as the last two years, with two
semi-finals preceding the final. Hosts Norway as well as
Eurovision's "Big 4"; France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom
will qualify automatically for the final and will be joined by ten
countries from each semi-final.
The 50/50 mix of public televoting
and a jury of experts which was introduced in 2009 was deemed to be
a success and will not only be retained for the final, but will also
be used in the semi-finals in 2010. Another change in the voting
procedure, which has been confirmed is that televoting will not be
limited to a ten minute period after the last song has been
performed but instead the public will be able to vote from the
moment the first song is performed. It has now been confirmed that
the presentation of the votes will stay the same as the last few
years, will all the semi-finalists, continuing to vote individually,
and only the 12, 10, and 8 points being called out.
On February 7th the allocation draw for for the two semi-finals took
place. This year, the draw also decided in which half of the draw
each country would perform. This allows each broadcaster to know
what days they need to be to be in Oslo and to reduce costs. On March 23rd, the draw for the
running order in the semi-finals was made and the five automatic
finalists; France, Germany, Norway, Spain and the U.K. will also be
given their positions in the draw for the final.
The
change to allow people to vote for their favourite songs from the
start of the show, will mean that there are now re-caps during the
running order. After every five songs are performed, there will be a
re-cap of those songs, to help prompt people to vote. Also it has
now been confirmed that the break in the semi-final will come after
song 12, or immediately after Ireland in the second semi-final.
On March 31st, French television requested to show and vote in the
first semi-final rather than the second semi-final, as originally
drawn.
|
SEMI FINAL ONE
(May 25th) |
SEMI FINAL
TWO (May 27th) |
|
First Half |
Second Half
|
First Half |
Second Half
|
| 1 Moldova |
9 Poland |
1 Lithuania |
9 Netherlands
|
| 2 Russia |
10 Belgium |
2
Armenia
|
10 Romania |
| 3 Estonia |
11 Malta |
3 Israel |
11
Slovenia |
| 4 Slovakia |
12 Albania |
4 Denmark |
12
Ireland |
| 5 Finland |
13 Greece |
5 Switzerland |
13
Bulgaria |
| 6 Latvia |
14 Portugal |
6 Sweden |
14 Cyprus |
| 7 Serbia |
15 FYR Macedonia |
7 Azerbaijan |
15 Croatia |
| 8 Bosnia-Herzegovina |
16 Belarus
|
8 Ukraine |
16 Georgia |
| |
17 Iceland |
|
17
Turkey |
|
France,
Germany and Spain will also show and vote in semi one. |
Norway and the U.K.
will also
show and vote in semi two. |
There are five countries
automatically qualified for the final, hosts Norway, and the "big
four" financial contributors to the E.B.U. They will perform in the
following positions in the final on May 29th;
-
2 Spain
-
3 Norway
-
12 United Kingdom
-
18 France
-
22 Germany
The draw for the running order of
the voting in the final was also made, and Ireland will be the
second country to vote in the final.
