But that’s probably the least of it. EBU offers a lot. A 15 second film from 1954. The screen flickers, the sound is not clear. Black and white images show children in traditional costumes holding daffodils and watching a celebration on Lake Geneva. This was the beginning of Eurovision, a collaboration of public broadcasters under the auspices of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Since then it has been addressing a huge audience with music, sports, entertainment and of course information. The aim of the common platform is to offer a European perspective. “If Eurovision didn’t exist we’d have to invent it,” Barbara Berner, international relations coordinator at Germany’s first public broadcaster ARD, told the German News Agency.

The first joint rebroadcast in 1953

The most famous product of Eurovision is the Song Contest which took place this year in May in Malmö, Sweden and Switzerland emerged as the winner. The EBU, based in Geneva, is a service provider for 113 member organizations from 56 countries and not only from Europe. Radio and TV providers concentrate their potential on around 2,000 TV, radio and online channels in more than 150 languages. They address a potential audience of one billion people.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London in 1953 is considered the dress rehearsal for Eurovision. It was broadcast live in many countries and was very successful. In addition to showing musical events with well-known orchestras, the joint coverage includes the broadcast of major sporting events such as in 1954

the Soccer World Cup, in which the German team achieved the “Miracle of Bern” and became world champions. The older ones will remember the European anthem playing and the European flag with the yellow stars waving. Back then it was a time when the whole family gathered around the television to watch entertainment shows or the New Year’s concert with the Vienna Philharmonic.

Information an important part of the EBU

Another important part of Eurovision is information and information exchange. Fires in Greece, political tensions in Georgia, election campaign in the USA. EBU members can use the material of their partners without requiring their own presence. Also during reporting trips journalists can use the local studios.

Lastly, using and with the help of artificial intelligence reports are easily compiled and when there is a sudden event and none of the partners are on the ground, the EBU undertakes to review the material coming from social media to ensure that the material it is reliable. In an age where everything happens very fast, it is very important to have the exchange of audio-visual material. Only the first public German channel ARD gives around 700 videos every year to the EBU platform and uses 11,000 from other stations mainly in the daily news. “Without Eurovision, the news supply would be poorer,” says Berner, and all this material would be much more expensive if sourced from other organizations and businesses. But the EBU, because of its size, can negotiate better contracts.

Edited by: Maria Rigoutsou