Editing Eurovision Song Contest (section)

=== The "Big Five"<span class="anchor" id="Big Four"></span><span class="anchor" id="Big Five"></span> ===
In 1999, an exemption from relegation was introduced for France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, giving them an automatic right to compete in the 2000 contest and in all subsequent editions. This group, as the highest-paying EBU members which significantly fund the contest each year, subsequently became known as the "Big Four" countries.<ref name="Jerusalem 99">{{Cite web |title=Eurovision Song Contest: Jerusalem 1999 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/jerusalem-1999 |access-date=1 July 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref>{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|pp=156–159}}<ref name="99 Rules">{{Cite web |title=Rules of the 44th Eurovision Song Contest, 1999 |url=http://www.eurosong.net/archive/esc1999.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418112958/http://www.eurosong.net/archive/esc1999.pdf |archive-date=18 April 2019 |access-date=1 July 2020}}</ref> This group was expanded in 2011 when Italy began competing again, becoming the "Big Five".<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 December 2010 |title=43 nations on 2011 participants list! |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/43-nations-on-2011-participants-list |access-date=1 July 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref> Originally brought in to ensure that the financial contributions of the contest's biggest financial backers would not be missed, since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004 the "Big Five" countries have now automatically qualified for the final alongside the host country, and have not been required to compete in the semi-finals.<ref name="Decade Istanbul 04">{{Cite web |date=25 December 2009 |title=The end of a decade: Istanbul 2004 |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/the-end-of-a-decade-istanbul-2004 |access-date=1 July 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref>{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|pp=176–180}} 

There remains debate on whether this status prejudices the countries' results, based on reported antipathy over their automatic qualification and the potential disadvantage of having spent less time on stage through not competing in the semi-finals;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rowe |first=Callum |date=2023-09-26 |title=Swedish commentator urging Martin Österdahl to change Big Five rule |url=https://eurotrippodcast.com/2023/09/26/svt-presenter-urging-martin-osterdahl-about-big-five-change/ |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=The Euro Trip Podcast |language=en}}</ref> however, this status appears to be more complex given that the results of the "Big Five" countries can vary widely.<ref name="BBC lessons learned">{{Cite web |date=19 May 2019 |title=Eurovision 2019: Five lessons learned |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48325868 |access-date=1 July 2020 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref name="Brexit to blame?">{{Cite web |date=20 May 2019 |title=Eurovision: Is Brexit to blame for the UK's latest flop? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48334089 |access-date=1 July 2020 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adessi |first=Antonio |date=2 June 2021 |title=Eurovision 2022: cambiamenti in vista per Germania, Spagna e Regno Unito |trans-title=Eurovision 2022: Changes in sight for Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom |url=https://www.eurofestivalnews.com/2021/06/02/eurovision-2022-cambiamenti-in-vista-per-germania-spagna-e-regno-unito/ |access-date=7 September 2021 |website=Eurofestival News |language=it-IT}}</ref> This status has caused consternation from other competing countries, and was cited, among other aspects, as a reason why {{Esccnty|Turkey}} had ceased participating after {{Escyr|2012}}.<ref name="Turkey LGBT">{{Cite web |date=4 August 2018 |title=Turkey to return Eurovision 'if no more bearded divas' |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-return-eurovision-if-no-more-bearded-divas-135427 |access-date=1 July 2020 |website=[[Hürriyet Daily News]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism on less stage time from these countries, since {{escyr|2024}} the entries from the "Big Five" countries, along with the host country, have been performed live in one of the two semi-finals outside of the competition for qualification, a change which was announced as giving these countries "a fairer playing field" in the final.<ref>{{cite web |title=Major changes for Malmö: Big Five & Sweden perform LIVE in Semi-Finals and you can vote for longer |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/big-five-sweden-perform-semi-finals |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest |access-date=3 January 2025 |date=11 March 2024}}</ref>