Nice people thread part 8 - worth the wait

Nikkster

CKhalvashi wrote: »

I can agree with this to an extent, however there are other factors (especially in the CIS and FYR countries) that nee to be taken into account.



I've been a director on the management company since 2006, and until (the now retired) Svante Stockselius took over in January 2004, there was huge cost to all countries each year.

I've been commercial director since 2007, and it's important to remember that we have new funding streams now (iTunes, Youtube, and the internet in general), meaning that the Eurovision group (Eurovision SC, Junior Eurovision SC, TV licensing for Football etc) is now self-sufficient.

There's about €14m in the pot at the moment, and this will continue to rise. Eurovision has grown a little like MSE; it's found funding methods that weren't there before.

Remember, that we are supporting a team of 164 staff, an office in Switzerland and managing budgets of approx. €100m a year.

It's grown to be a large, self-sufficient trading group, however the EBU rights do cost the BBC money each year. This is, however, a separate network of public broadcasters, that's legally separate.

The cost to the BBC, is the commentary and the hosting of the national final.

CK

So its it along the lines of we buy the rights to the football from the ebu and get eurovision free?
Edit: that wasn't meant to be as facetious as it sounds. I've enjoyed watching the eurovision.coverage for many years.

lemonjelly

Can't stand eurovision personally.
Hearing still not recovered, which is annoying me.
Developed a sore throat today, which was how the cold started.
Football is a load of rubbish!

That is all....

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

And that is one of the fundamental differences between the UK ... and Europe

Not only do we not take it seriously, but we 'flooded the switchboard' begging them not to do it this year

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2177553/BBC-bosses-spent-310-000-licence-payers-money-entering-Eurovision-year--British-entry-flop-again.html

Eurovision is not cool in Britain, thou Pugh I think a more diverse country...notably for areas of Europe who do like it lots, might help it a bit. Something's remain amusing at best only in a fundamentally bad taste way.

lostinrates

lemonjelly wrote: »

Can't stand eurovision personally.
Hearing still not recovered, which is annoying me.
Developed a sore throat today, which was how the cold started.
Football is a load of rubbish!

That is all....

Please see a gp about your ears now lj.

Nikkster

lemonjelly wrote: »

Can't stand eurovision personally.
Hearing still not recovered, which is annoying me.
Developed a sore throat today, which was how the cold started.
Football is a load of rubbish!

That is all....

Eurovision +the right company (+ alcohol if you are that way inclined) is one of the best nights on TV

CKhalvashi

Nikkster wrote: »

Eurovision +the right company (+ alcohol if you are that way inclined) is one of the best nights on TV

That reminds me of the flashmob we did in Oslo, the part where we went into peoples living rooms

I think for Pastures, the answer to how we do things (and I've always been more involved with the kids one) is to take the event seriously. Remember though, that we're working generally with one of the nations that expects to.

We took Russia for the Junior last year, and were praised exceptionally on how we took a song with the power to win the adult contest, written in Russian, performed strongly. We took on three entries for this last year, and came 1st, 4th and 8th, although I still have to make a living somewhere.

CK

zagubov

Nikkster wrote: »

Eurovision +the right company (+ alcohol if you are that way inclined) is one of the best nights on TV

Mrs Zag and m'good self have been enjoying the Voice for weeks. I don't find all the songs for Europe equally listenable but the Voice blind auditions are just brilliant- there's hardly a singer there who's rubbish to listen to.

Great viewing and more importantly great listening.:beer:

And lj, that means get your ears checked please!

LydiaJ

CKhalvashi wrote: »

We took Russia for the Junior last year, and were praised exceptionally on how we took a song with the power to win the adult contest, written in Russian, performed strongly. We took on three entries for this last year, and came 1st, 4th and 8th, although I still have to make a living somewhere.CK

Who is "we" in this post, please, and what do you mean by "we took on three entries for this last year"? Are you saying that you're involved in some of the individual entries to the competition? Are you also saying that you're involved in the organisation of the competition and a commercial director of Eurovision Group? Or have I misunderstood?

CKhalvashi

LydiaJ wrote: »

Who is "we" in this post, please, and what do you mean by "we took on three entries for this last year"? Are you saying that you're involved in some of the individual entries to the competition? Are you also saying that you're involved in the organisation of the competition and a commercial director of Eurovision Group? Or have I misunderstood?

I'm saying 'we' as my own company dealt with the artists last year, meaning my London company (my full-time job, that started as myself and one other).

The Eurovision holding company has nothing to do with the artists an any event, except Eurovision Young Musicians (which is a separate contest completely, where mentors are directly contracted)

It's a complicated legal setup, as I own my own company, another director on the company owns WowWorks; many of the directors are involved with other companies/record labels/sports companies/TV stations, depending on our specialities.

I could make a living out of the 94 days I'm contracted for Switzerland/contests each year, but the idea in the company itself is to allow experienced directors the chance to showcase their skills, but also to lower the cost of the contest in recent years, as we are contracting at cut rates to the company itself.

I wouldn't spend 8 years building a company, just to sell and leave it completely.

CK

CKhalvashi

Nikkster wrote: »

So its it along the lines of we buy the rights to the football from the ebu and get eurovision free?
Edit: that wasn't meant to be as facetious as it sounds. I've enjoyed watching the eurovision.coverage for many years.

I'm not stating that in so many words.

This is the last post I'm making on the matter, as I feel that some NP probably won't want to be having this discussion, however I'd take a reasonably good stab at the BBC actually making a profit at the end of the contest, as the EBU take 10% of the televoting money, and the other 90%, minus 100% of the fee goes to the BBC.

The football rights, if I remember rightly did come at a cost, however as this is not my department, I have absolutely no idea how much. I'm not trying to avoid this question, I genuinely don't know how much was paid, nor do I know how much revenue was generated from it.

If I did know, it would probably remain commercially sensitive information, however you can write to the BBC and ask them. I'm more concerned about how much MediaCity will cost public broadcasters.

CK