hello from mars

How did Australia become a passive participant in Eurovision?

Eurovision underwent a huge change following the 2003 telecast. Due to the increased number of nations in the EBU wanting to compete the contest was either going to become a 5 hour long tedium-fest or nearly every nation would be relegated each year to make room for those who didnt make the top 24/26 nations.

The old rules (pre-2004) divided nations into passive and active camps. The big four (UK, Spain, France and Germany) automatically qualified for each contest. The other competitors were the active participants - typically the best scoring nations from the last year and the passive participants from the previous year who wanted to compete.

Australia entered the 2003 contest as a passive participant in order to have a commentator (Des Mangan) in the media box at Riga. As Australia shows ESC within 24 hours of the contest and was willing to pay the EBU for a seat in the commentary boxes, they were accepted as a passive participant.

The EBU closed this loop-hole by making all members of the EBU notionally 'active' from 2004 onwards. Every EBU nation who wants to enter Eurovision, can now do so, they compete at a qualifying stage before the Grand Prix. The big four and best of the previous year go straight to the Grand Prix and are joined by the 'best' qualifiers. All EBU members can purchase commentary positions.

Sarah Yeun - the co-ordinator of Eurovision 2003 stated: "I do not see Australia participating in the near future. The Australian broadcaster is called 'passive' this year, but there are no longer passive participants any more."

Was Australia ever going to compete in Eurovision?

Short answer: NO. An April Fools joke in 2003 had a few people thinking Australia was serious about sending a singer in 2004 - but not being a member of the European Broadcasting Union, Australia would not have been allowed to send a singer.

If Australia was competing who would they send? Vanessa Amarosi and Tina Arena leap to mind. Maybe Yothu Tindi or Tiddas to capitalise on Urban Trad's success in 2003. John Farnham could capture the grey vote - and if it was a one-way ticket the only real loser would be the host nation.

the last passive participants - 2003

Country	Broadcaster
Albania	(RTVSH)
Andorra	(RTA)
Australia	(SBS)
Belarus	(BTRC)
Denmark	(DR)
Finland	(YLE)
FYR Macedonia	(RTV)
Kosova	(RTK)
Lithuania	(LRT)
Serbia and Montenegro	(YRT)
Switzerland	(SSR)