Eurovision RIP

The music of Eurovision has long been criticised but the very basis on which much of the voting in the contest took place last week really had plunged the whole event to new depths. At least the camp and kitsch, pop and pap elements of it could be enjoyed. Now however the fragmentation of Eastern Europe and their membership to the EBU combined with the equal vote that each country receives has potentially skewed the voting. A certain amount of voting for neighbours is expected, but when each of Serbia's tiny neighbours awards its song 12 points in what's being called 'bloc voting' any hope that songs win on merit are thrown out the window.

I can't say I care that the UK faired so badly, but the top-of-the-blocs entries dominating the scoring largely didn't deserve to be there. Ukraine had a fair shot with its ultra-kitsch and glam offer but otherwise many of the songs that received so many points were largely forgettable. For what it's worth I did vote for an Eastern European country - Slovenia, with their sensational operatic singer - although it seems the Slovenians aren't quite moving in the right circles to garner the sort of support expressed towards Russia and others.

No, I'm afraid the Eurovision, for whatever it might have been worth has become a shell of the contest it once was. Let the best song win, whoever that may be, but when that most basic of requirements - that of merit - is so blatantly ditched in favour of neighbourly political bias it's time to call it a day.

Related articles:
MP demands Eurovision vote change (BBCi)
Tactical voting the low note as Serbia wins Eurovision contest (the Australian)
Sozialistische Nachbarschaftshilfe (Die Zeit)
On Eurovision Night, everybody needs good neighbours (The Times)