After a summer full of sports broadcasts and the recent administrative restructuring with the appointment of Giannis Papadopoulos as interim president of the company’s Board of Directors, alongside CEO Katerina Kaskanioti, ERT is now moving forward into the new television season. One of the key issues to address is the selection of Greece’s entry for Eurovision, with the method of selection being the main question.
The national final is closer than ever
According to information from various sources, ERT is seriously considering the possibility of holding an open national final to choose Greece’s Eurovision entry. Although the final decision has not yet been made, it is expected within the next two weeks.
ERT’s management, aiming to make the most of the Eurovision project both in terms of television and commercial success — a project that traditionally garners high viewership rates in Greece — is leaning towards holding a televised national final. The huge commercial success of Marina Satti, with the record-breaking viewership during the final of the contest, has bolstered this idea.
The fact that many artists want to represent Greece, combined with the fact that the last open national final was held in 2003, makes ERT’s management favor the idea of such a contest. Through this process, both the artist and the song representing Greece in Basel next May will be selected.
As we’ve mentioned in previous articles, ERT’s management aims to ensure a transparent and objective selection process. Public participation in this process is almost certain, as there has long been a demand for the public to have a say in choosing Greece’s entry, just as is the case in most European countries.
Record labels are already preparing
Naturally, this news has reached the record labels, which are already preparing for the now-likely national final. In fact, all record labels, without exception, will submit several candidates, as many artists on their rosters are eager to enter and compete for the chance to represent Greece in the contest.
The fact that the Eurovision contest attracts more and more interest from record companies each year — being perhaps the largest music platform worldwide — has whetted the appetite of Greek labels, who obviously want one of their own artists to represent Greece.
The conversation about potential names has already begun, with many well-known and talented artists expressing interest in participating in ERT’s national final. Some have already publicly declared their desire to compete, while others have yet to reveal their intentions. Of course, we will keep you updated in future articles, as the list of candidates continues to grow, including both artists from record labels and independent musicians.
Presentation of the new program and onwards to Eurovision…
On Wednesday, September 18th, at the Athens Conservatory, ERT will present its new programming. This is essentially the last pending issue before officially starting its preparations for Eurovision.
By the end of the month, we expect official announcements, and as long as no financial, technical, or procedural hurdles cause any setbacks, we will have the first open national final by ERT in 22 years.
ERT’s goal, once again, is not only to secure a place in the top ten but also to represent Greece in a way that will make Greeks proud, while keeping the audience’s interest at high levels.
Eurovisionfun will, of course, keep you updated on every development, providing you with timely and accurate information regarding Greece’s participation in Eurovision 2025.
Stay tuned here!
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