Editing Eurovision Song Contest (section)

== Format ==
Original songs representing participating countries are performed in a live television programme broadcast via the [[Eurovision (network)|Eurovision and Euroradio networks]] simultaneously to all countries. A "country" as a participant is represented by one television broadcaster from that country, a member of the EBU, and is typically that country's national [[public broadcasting]] organisation.<ref name="How it works">{{Cite web |date=15 January 2017 |title=How it works – Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/how-it-works |access-date=28 June 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref> The programme is staged by one of the participant broadcasters and is transmitted from an [[auditorium]] in the selected host city.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LaFleur |first=Louise |date=30 August 2019 |title=Rotterdam to host Eurovision 2020! |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/rotterdam-to-host-eurovision-2020 |access-date=9 July 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref> Since 2008, each contest is typically formed of three live television shows held over one week: two semi-finals are held on the Tuesday and Thursday, followed by a final on the Saturday. All participating countries compete in one of the two semi-finals, except for the host country of that year's contest and the "Big Five"—the countries whose broadcasters are the contest's biggest financial contributors: {{Esccnty|France}}, {{Esccnty|Germany}}, {{Esccnty|Italy}}, {{Esccnty|Spain}}, and the {{Esccnty|United Kingdom}}.<ref name="How it works" /><ref name="BBC lessons learned" /> The remaining countries are split between the two semi-finals, and the 10 highest-scoring entries in each qualify to produce 26 entries competing in the final.<ref name="How it works" /> Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, {{Esccnty|Luxembourg}} and {{Esccnty|Ukraine}} are the only countries outside of the "Big Five" to have qualified for the final of every contest they have competed in.

Each participating broadcaster has sole discretion over the process it may employ to select its entry for the contest. Typical methods in which participants are selected include a televised national final using a jury and/or public vote; an internal selection by a committee appointed by the broadcaster; and a mixed format where some decisions are made internally and the public are engaged in others.<ref name="National selections">{{Cite web |date=21 March 2017 |title=Eurovision Song Contest: National Selections |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/in-depth/national-selections/ |access-date=7 July 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref> Among the most successful televised selection shows is Swedish {{Lang|sv|[[Melodifestivalen]]|italic=no}}, first established in 1959 and now one of the most watched television shows in Sweden each year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosney |first=Daniel |date=7 March 2020 |title=Sweden's Melfest: Why a national Eurovision show won global fans |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51749312 |access-date=7 July 2020 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

[[File:Opening act 2, ESC 2011.jpg|thumb|alt=Photograph of the opening act during the 2011 contest; Stefan Raab performs with a band while multiple women dressed as Lena dance behind them while waving the flags of the participating countries|The opening act during the final of the {{Escyr|2011|3=2011 contest}} in [[Düsseldorf]], Germany]]
Each show typically begins with an opening act consisting of music and/or dance performances by invited artists, which contributes to a unique theme and identity created for that year's event; since 2013, the opening of the contest's final has included a "Flag Parade", with competing artists entering the stage behind their country's flag in a similar manner to the [[Olympic Games ceremony#Parade of Nations|procession of competing athletes]] at the [[Olympic Games ceremony|Olympic Games opening ceremony]].<ref name="Grand Final story">{{Cite web |date=16 May 2020 |title=Looking back: the Grand Final |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/grand-final-story |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210401132202/https://eurovision.tv/story/grand-final-story |archive-date=1 April 2021 |access-date=1 April 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}</ref><ref name="Iconic intervals">{{Cite web |date=16 August 2019 |title=The Most Iconic Opening & Interval Acts of the Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/video/the-most-iconic-opening-interval-acts-of-the-eurovision-song-contest |access-date=28 June 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref> Viewers are welcomed by [[List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters|one or more presenters]] who provide key updates during the show, conduct interviews with competing acts from the [[green room]], and guide the voting procedure in English and French.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 March 2017 |title=Presenters – Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/presenters |access-date=28 June 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Paul |date=1 March 2017 |title=Behind the scenes with the hosts of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/behind-the-scenes-with-the-hosts |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928064139/https://eurovision.tv/story/behind-the-scenes-with-the-hosts |archive-date=28 September 2020 |access-date=1 April 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}</ref><ref name="Rules" /> Competing acts perform sequentially, and after all songs have been performed, viewers are invited to vote for their favourite performances—except for the performance of their own country—via [[Televoting|telephone]], SMS, and the official Eurovision app.<ref name="How it works" /> The public vote comprises 50% of the final result alongside the views of a jury of music industry professionals from each country.<ref name="How it works" /><ref name="Rules" /> An [[Intermission|interval act]] is invariably featured during this voting period, which on several occasions has included a well-known personality from the host country or an internationally recognised figure.<ref name="Grand Final story" /><ref name="Iconic intervals" /> The results of the voting are subsequently announced; in the semi-finals, the 10 highest-ranked countries are announced in a random order, with the full results undisclosed until after the final. In the final, the presenters call upon a representative spokesperson for each country in turn who announces their jury's points, while the results of the public vote are subsequently announced by the presenters.<ref name="How it works" /><ref name="Voting" /> In recent years, it has been tradition that the first country to announce its jury points is the previous host, whereas the last country is the current host (with the exception of {{Escyr|2023}}, when the United Kingdom hosted the contest on behalf of Ukraine, which went first).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tarbuck |first=Sean |date=12 May 2023 |title=Jury voting order revealed for Eurovision 2023 |url=https://www.escunited.com/jury-voting-order-revealed-for-eurovision-2023/ |access-date=12 May 2023 |website=ESCUnited |language=en-US}}</ref> The qualifying acts in the semi-finals, and the winning delegation in the final are invited back on stage; in the final, a [[trophy]] is awarded to the winning performers and songwriters by the previous year's winner, followed by a reprise of the winning song.<ref name="How it works" /><ref name="Trophy">{{Cite web |date=14 January 2017 |title=Eurovision Song Contest: Trophy |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/trophy/ |access-date=30 June 2020 |publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref> The full results of the competition, including detailed results of the jury and public vote, are released online shortly after the final, and the participating broadcaster of the winning entry is traditionally given the honour of organising the following year's event.<ref name="How it works" /><ref name="Voting" />