Ο Σαρμπέλ στην Κωνσταντινούπολη!

Η περιοδεία για την προώθηση της ελληνικής συμμετοχής στη Eurovision του Ελσίνκι συνεχίζεται με πυρετώδεις ρυθμούς! Επόμενος σταθμός η Κωνσταντινούπολη. Ο Σαρμπέλ και η ελληνική αποστολή έφτασαν χθες πολύ νωρίς το πρωί αφού οι συνεντεύξεις ήταν και εκεί πολλές. Το πρώτο ραντεβού ήταν με τον τηλεοπτικό σταθμό ATV. Συνέχεια είχε η εφημερίδα SABAH που στο σημερινό της φύλλο έκανε εκτενές αφιέρωμα στον Σαρμπέλ, το μουσικό κανάλι Νο 1 αλλά και ο τηλεοπτικός σταθμός ΝΤΟΓΚΑΝ του Τουρκικού Πρακτορείου Ειδήσεων. Το απόγευμα ο Σαρμπέλ συναντήθηκε με εκπροσώπους του OGAE της Τουρκίας. Το κλίμα ήταν εξαιρετικά φιλικό και τα μέλη του OGAE ενημέρωσαν τον δημοφιλή καλλιτέχνη ότι είναι πολύ αγαπητός στο κοινό της Τουρκίας. Παρά το φορτωμένο πρόγραμμα του, ο Σαρμπέλ βρήκε λίγο χρόνο για να "περιπλανηθεί" στο Μεγάλο Παζάρι της Κωνσταντινούπολης κι εκεί δεν ήταν λίγοι εκείνοι που τον πλησίασαν για αυτόγραφα και για να φωτογραφηθούν μαζί του. Οι συνεντεύξεις και οι εμφανίσεις του Σαρμπέλ στα τουρκικά media θα συνεχιστούν μέχρι την Κυριακή των Βαϊων.

Η Ευρδική φωτογραφίζεται για την εξτρατεία ενάντιας την προσφυγιά

Η Ευριδίκη φωτογραφίστηκε, για την εξτρατεία του κάνει το UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency) αφού είναι και πρέσβυρα καλής θέλησης.Η Ευριδίκη δήλωσε "Οι πρόσφυγες δεν εγκαταλείπουν τη χώρα τουσ για μια καλύτερη ζωή,αλλά για την ζωή τους. Η ελπίδα μας ενώνει."

www.unhcr.org
www.unhcr.gr

Cyprus 2007: Evridiki in the Life&Style magazine awards

The ultimate party guide by eurovision.tv

Eurovision.tv has published the ultimate party guide for the fans that will not be heading for Helsinki this coming May. Tips, strategies and even pre-designed "official" invitations have been prepared to help you get the most out of the semi and final nights.

The ultimate party in five easy steps according to eurovision.tv:

Step 1: Make it clear whether it is a semi or final party (especially if your friends are not as dedicated as you) to avoid confusion.

Step 2: Send out invitations! An sms or phone call should be enough, but a real invitation will make the difference. Plan ahead and send them out well in advance so that you ensure that as many friends as possible join you. You can dowload and print the "official" party invitations here.

Step 3: Food and drink - get plenty of it! Do it the Finnish way too. Takeaway is always a great solution, but why not try something different this year? You can find lots of Finnish recipes here! If you are rooting for Hanna, then the Hanna-tädin piparkakut biscuits are a must!

Step 4: Get them in the mood! Create the ultimate Eurovision atmosphere by getting well in advance the official mugs to serve your drinks in or start the evening by playing the official Board Game.

Step 5: Be a professional fan! Print out blank score sheets (if you do not have your own, eurovision.tv will be providing for you later on) and keep track of your favourites. Also you can launch a prediction game with a prize or two for the winner.

And remember that this year YLE promise the best transmission ever offering a choice of superb audio (5.1)and video technology available (HD). So if your broadcaster offers the possibility to take advantage of this make sure you get your HD ready TV set in time. Here you can find some more information on HD broadcasting on the BBC HD site.

Serbia: two Marijas (Serbian and Bosnian) meet in Belgrade (oikotimes.com)

This year's Serbian and Bosnian participants, Marija Serifovic and Marija Sestic, met at the Pink TV show "Da predjemo na ti". Young artists, both participating the Eurovision Song Contest with very strong ballads, were talking about the posibility of organising a joint party and also talked about how they see other countries' entries this year.

After Serbia, Marija Sestic is going to Slovenia where she's going to be a guest of Radio 202. It's planned for Marija to perform this year's Bosnian entry on Slovene state television's (RTV Slo) show "Spet doma" and to be interviewed by POP TV. After that, Marija will be heading to Croatia, where she'll appear as a special guest of two radio stations: Obiteljski (Family) and Narodni (National) radio.

Portugal: Sabrina's (2007) appearances in many local shows (oikotimes.com)

The most listened radio station in Oporto celebrates its anniversary this afternoon, 1st April, with a big concert in Cristal Arena (“Palácio de Cristal”). Sabrina, the Portuguese entrance in Helsinki, will perform live her song “Dança Comigo”. The show will begin at 3 pm and finish at late night. Other Portuguese Eurovision stars will participate in this celebration, like Rui Bandeira, who represented Portugal in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1999. He will perform his last hit “Preciso dizer que te quero”. Sabrina has already appeared on several Tv-shows, with great success. Now, in Oporto, the promoters of the show hopes an assistance with more than 5.000 live viewers.

related link
listen to Sabrinas performance online at 08:00 am CET here

Cyprus:Eurovision 2007-Preview clips (esctoday.com)

RIK, the Cypriot channel, will be airing five special Eurovision Song Contest Preview Shows from the 8th to 22nd April. The shows will feature all 42 promotional video clips of this year's participating entries.

The Eurovision 2007-Preview clips shows will be transmitted by RIK1 and RIKSAT on April, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 21.15 local time (CET+1). It will be webcast as well. The viewers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite video clip and win tickets to Helsinki, as well as tickets to the Eurovision Song Contest semi final and final in May.

In the studio there will be an international expert jury who will comment on the video clips and award points. Our very own managing director Barry Viniker will be a member of the jury.

Satellite information:
Hotbird 3 (13E)-12265.00 V/27500 3/4

Stay tuned for more information on the shows as it comes in!

Kirka remembered by fellow Euroviisut stars

Espoo’s Länsiauto Areena hosted a great gala concert with nearly 20 Finnish Euroviisut veterans. Kirka (Finland 1984 with Hengaillaan), who was supposed to take part was touchingly remembered by his collegues. He passed away last week at the age of 56. The concert will be televised by YLE later this spring.

Hardly anyone was able to hold back the tears on stage or in the audience when half way through the concert Matti “Fredi” Siitonen (Finland 1967 and 1976) and Pepe Willberg dedicated a song to Kirka. They sung one of Kirka’s biggest hits, Silta yli synkän virran, the only non Eurovision Song Contest related song in the concert. Each of the artists in the concert brought a red rose to a vase on stage during the song and most were visibly touched.

You can see a short video clip of it here with interviews with Ami Aspelund (1983), Laura Voutilainen (2002), Kojo (1982), Marion (1962, 1973), Katri Helena (1979, 1993), Viktor Klimenko (1965), Markku Aro (1971), Cat Cat (1994), Tapani Kansa, Kisu, Pepe Willberg and the rose ceremony.

Laura Voutilainen, who will participate in the last Euroviisut semi final tomorrow night was one of the most shaken artist. She was a close friend to Kirka, and collaborated with him all through her career. “It has been a very rough week” she admits.

YLE will broadcast the concert on TV later this spring as part of the building up to the Eurovision song contest 2007.

Eurovision on YLE channels in April

LE is facing the biggest challenge in its history when it stages the Eurovision Song Content 2007 in May. After waiting for it over 40 years YLE is giving it maximum exposure and all YLE channels are filled with Eurovision related shows in April leading the way to the semi final on May 10 and the final on May 12 live from Hartwall Areena.

Euroviisujen parhaat – Best of Euroviisut

Already yesterday we had a bit of a nostalgia and Euroviisut history when YLE2 aired Euroviisujen parhaat (Best of Eurovision). The concert, held in Espoo’s Länsiauto Areena on February 8, featured Laura, Katri Helena, Marion, Sonja Lumme, Ami Aspelund, Anneli Saaristo and CatCat amongst others singing their Euroviisut entries and Eurovision covers, and giving a touching homage to Kirka who was supposed to sing there as well but died a few days earlier. Read the original article here.
Next week Warner Music Finland will re-release the double albums Suomen Euroviisut 1961-2006 (Finnish Eurovision entries 1961-2006) and Käännetyt Euroviisuhelmet (Covered Eurovision pearls) and a brand new double-CD Finaaliklassikot (Final classics), more information here.

The previews

YLE will broadcast the preview videos in two shows on April 7 and 14 hosted by Heikki Paasonen. The first one features female commentators Lotta Backlund, Anna Muurinen, Vappu Rossi and Maria Veitola. The second one is all male with Risto Asikainen, Sami Hintsanen, Titus Hjelm and Tomi Saarinen. The radio prelistening shows will be broadcasted on April 7 and 9 hosted by Sanna Kojo.
YLE TV2 at 17.45 CET and YLE Radio Suomi 14.00 CET

Lailasta Lordiin

Lailasta Lordiin (From Laila to Lordi) is a special radio documentary on the Finnish Eurovision history by Sanna Kojo and broadcasted on April 7, 14 and 21.
YLE Radio Suomi 19.04 CET

Eurovision Countdown
On April 22 the Eurovision countdown shows will start on YLE2 presented by Ulrika Eriksson and Jani Toivola with news on preparations, interviews, gossip and everything else that is happening in Helsinki and Eurovision 2007.
YLE TV2 17.40 CET and reprise April 26 YLE TV2 15.35

Euroviisuradio

The weekly Euroviisuradio (Eurovision radio) goes daily from April 23 on YLE Radio Suomi channel.
YLE Radio Suomi 9.50 CET

Juries, block voting? Have your say

For the second year running, Demandi, the online opinion portal, launch their Eurovision Song Contest poll where fans are encouraged to vote for their favourite entries as well have their say on some of the issues that cause heated discussions among the fan base.

What did you expect after Lordi, is neighbour voting hurting the contest, which features would you like to see reintroduced? These are some of the questions you will be asked to answer in the survey, which is available in English, French and German. There are prizes to be won for participating fans.

Follow the link below to be directed to the Demandi site and let us know what you think in the reactions section below. Esctoday.com will be reporting to you on the results of the poll in the near future so stay tuned!

Israel: Teapacks on local newspaper 'Israeli would love Turkish entry'

EUROVISION-TURKEY.COM REPORTS: Israel's Eurovision Representative "Teapacks" stated that "Turkey has a very nice song, it is full of dance rythms." Teapacks made an interview with Turkish Newspaper "Sabah" about Eurovision 2007 and Israel. Teapacks, stated that: "We composed 4 songs for the contest and "Push the Buttton" got all %100 votes from the nation. So we are glad that Israel loved its Eurovision song. As far as Turkey, Kenan made a good job. The music makes a person to move and dance. I am sure that Israel will give many points to Turkey on the Eurovision Night because, the music is just like Israel people like : groovy!"