Latest news with #televoting
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Eurovision: Israel's result prompts questions over voting
Israel's success in the public vote at last weekend's Eurovision Song Contest has prompted calls from a string of countries to examine the results and voting Yuval Raphael came top of the viewer vote on Saturday with her ballad New Day Will Rise, but finished second overall to Austria when jury scores were also taken into in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Iceland and Finland have since raised concerns or questions about the public vote, with some requesting an organisers the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said the vote had been independently checked and verified, that they took any concerns seriously. Israel was ranked joint 14th by the national juries, but shot up the leaderboard thanks to the results of the phone and online the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom were among the countries whose viewers awarded Israel the maximum 12 points, with Ireland and Finland giving broadcaster RTE has asked for a full breakdown of the voting from came after Spanish broadcaster RTVE said it would request an investigation of the results and a review of the televoting can currently vote up to 20 times each by phone, text or Segers, a Flemish MP, said: "A system in which everyone can cast up to 20 votes is a system that encourages manipulation."Whether this manipulation occurred in our country and all other participating and non-participating countries must be investigated." Political tensions A spokesperson for Flemish public broadcaster VRT said: "We have no indication that the counting of the televotes wasn't carried out correctly, but we are asking for complete transparency on the part of the EBU."The question is above all whether the current system guarantees a fair reflection of the opinion of viewers and listeners."Finland's YLE said: "We will definitely ask the EBU whether it is time to update these rules or at least examine whether the current rules allow for abuses."On Tuesday, Dutch public broadcasters Avrotros and NPO issued a statement saying the contest was "increasingly influenced by societal and geopolitical tensions".Israel's involvement "raises the question of whether Eurovision still truly functions as an apolitical, unifying, and cultural event", they said. In response, the contest's director Martin Green said organisers were "in constant contact with all participating broadcasters" and "take their concerns seriously"."We can confirm that we have been in touch with several broadcasters since Saturday's Grand Final regarding voting in the competition," he will now be a "broad discussion" with participating broadcasters "to reflect and obtain feedback on all aspects of this year's event", he said."It is important to emphasise that the voting operation for the Eurovision Song Contest is the most advanced in the world and each country's result is checked and verified by a huge team of people to exclude any suspicious or irregular voting patterns."An independent compliance monitor reviews both jury and public vote data to ensure we have a valid result."Our voting partner Once has confirmed that a valid vote was recorded in all countries participating in this year's Grand Final and in the Rest of the World."Eurovision News, which is operated by the EBU, said an agency of the Israeli government paid for adverts and used state social media accounts to encourage people to vote for the Israeli Green said that did not break the rules.
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Spanish, Belgian broadcasters say Eurovision televoting ‘encourages manipulation' after Israel's result at contest
LONDON: Spanish and Belgian broadcasters have accused Eurovision Song Contest organizers of 'encouraging manipulation' after the Israeli contestant won their public vote and came second in the 2025 competition. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ RTVE, Spain's public broadcaster, and the Flemish VRT have filed complaints with the European Broadcasting Union, the organizer, requesting an investigation into last week's televoting system results. Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael unexpectedly came in second place after Austria's JJ, who won Eurovision with 436 points with his song 'Wasted Love.' Raphael, who was at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, 2023, earned 357 combined points from the jury and public at the Eurovision final on May 17. Her result included 12 points, each awarded by the televoters in Spain and Belgium, despite the countries' juries giving Israel a score of zero. The Eurovision televoting system allows viewers to vote up to 20 times for a small fee charged for each vote via text or phone call. Each country's contestant can earn a maximum of 12 points from either a jury or the public vote. To ensure fairness, contestants do not receive points from their own countries. Katia Segers, a Flemish parliamentarian, said: 'A system in which everyone can cast up to 20 votes is a system that encourages manipulation. 'Whether this manipulation occurred in our country and all other participating and non-participating countries must be investigated.' She added: 'The VRT must take the lead in requesting this investigation, and in holding the debate on the televoting system within the EBU, and on Israel's participation.' It was Israel's second year participating in Eurovision while its military forces continue ongoing attacks in the Gaza Strip, which have killed over 52,000 Palestinians since October 2023. More than 70 former Eurovision participants earlier this month accused Israel's public broadcaster KAN of being 'complicit in Israel's genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza' and demanded the exclusion of Tel Aviv from the European contest. Last week's final performance by Raphael in Basel, Switzerland, was disrupted by pro-Palestine protesters who attempted to storm the stage. The winner, Austria, will host the 2026 edition. RTVE's coverage of the event displayed for 16 seconds a black screen with white lettering in Spanish and English that read: 'When human rights are at stake, silence is not an option. Peace and Justice for Palestine.' The message was perceived as a stance against Israel's participation. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday called for Israel to be treated the same way as Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and to be banned from future contests. Managing Director of Eurovision Martin Green confirmed that the organization was taking Spain and Belgium's complaint 'seriously.' He said: 'It is important to emphasize that the voting operation for the Eurovision Song Contest is the most advanced in the world and each country's result is checked and verified by a huge team of people to exclude any suspicious or irregular voting patterns. 'An independent compliance monitor reviews both jury and public vote data to ensure we have a valid result. We remain in constant contact with all participating broadcasters of the Eurovision Song Contest and take their concerns seriously.'
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Eurovision broadcasters call for probe after Israeli singer's near-win
Eurovision is facing accusations of encouraging "manipulation" through its public voting system after Israeli singer Yuval Raphael nearly won the competition. Spain and Belgium's public broadcasters have lodged complaints with the European Broadcasting Union, demanding an investigation into the televoting system, which allows up to 20 votes per person. The complaints stem from Israel winning the public vote by a significant margin, despite being overlooked by both countries' juries. Raphael came second in the competition, runner-up to Austria's JJ. The EBU said that the voting process is rigorously checked and verified, but takes the concerns seriously. This controversy follows protests surrounding Israel's participation, including one during the final where paint was thrown. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for Israel to be banned from future contests.
