Editing Eurovision Song Contest 2003 (section)

==Format==
The EBU released the rules for the 2003 contest in November 2002, which detailed that twenty-six countries would participate, making it the largest number of participants to take part in the contest up to this point.<ref name="2003 rules" /> The rules also modified the eligibility criteria for entries, changing the date of release cut-off point for songs from 1 January 2003 to 1 October 2002. There was also a change in the tie-break rule, which would now resolve such a case in favour of the nation that received points from a higher number of countries rather than taking into account the number of top scores (12 points) received. The draw for running order was held on 29 November 2002 in [[Riga]], hosted by Marie N and Renārs Kaupers, with the results being revealed during a delayed broadcast of the proceedings later that day.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=Draw to be made public Friday 17:00 CET|url=http://www.esctoday.com/994/draw_to_be_made_public_friday_1700_cet/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=28 November 2002|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=7 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107234138/http://esctoday.com/994/draw_to_be_made_public_friday_1700_cet/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Sietse Bakker (1 December 2002). [https://web.archive.org/web/20081011153301/http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/997 Draw of running order finally available]. ESCToday. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.</ref>

The official sponsors for the contest were Latvian mobile telecom provider {{lang|lv|[[Latvian Mobile Telephone|Latvijas Mobilais Telefons]]|i=unset}} and Latvian bank company {{lang|lv|[[Reverta|Parex Banka]]|i=unset}}.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=Latvijas Mobilais and Parex sponsor 2003 contest|url=http://www.esctoday.com/998/latvijas_mobilais_and_parex_sponsor_2003_contest/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=30 November 2002|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109094822/http://esctoday.com/998/latvijas_mobilais_and_parex_sponsor_2003_contest/|url-status=live}}</ref> LTV selected Latvia Tours as its official partner to provide lodging, travel and recreation for the contest delegations and other guests.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=Latvia Tours selected as cooperation partner|url=http://www.esctoday.com/786/latvia_tours_selected_as_cooperation_partner/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=27 November 2002|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=29 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029093857/http://esctoday.com/786/latvia_tours_selected_as_cooperation_partner/|url-status=live}}</ref> Riga City Council was also responsible for offering promotion and activities during the week preceding the contest.<ref>{{cite web|first=Aija|last=Medinika|title=The preparation for Eurovision Song Contest 2003|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1436/the_preparation_for_eurovision_song_contest_2003/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=25 March 2002|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=29 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029080811/http://esctoday.com/1436/the_preparation_for_eurovision_song_contest_2003/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Full preparations for the 2003 contest began on 18 May 2003 at the Skonto Hall. There were rehearsals, press conferences and participants were also involved in an internet chat.<ref name="rehearsals">{{cite web |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/public/25144.html |title=Event |access-date=2017-02-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030602021415/http://www.eurovision.tv/public/25144.html |archive-date=June 2, 2003 }}. Eurovision.tv. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.</ref> Two dress rehearsals were held on 23 May, in front of an estimated 12,000 people. The organisers of the contest held a press conference; one of the issues complained about was the lack of invitations for the after-party. The final dress rehearsal was held on 24 May, the day of the contest. A simulation of the voting procedure was also held, in which the presenters linked up with all twenty-six countries by satellite for the first time.<ref name="rehearsals"/>

On the day of the contest, bookmaker [[William Hill (bookmaker)|William Hill]]'s odds placed Russia as joint favourites to win the contest with Spain. Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway and Iceland were behind in third, fourth and joint fifth respectively.<ref name=odds>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=William Hill: update of the betting figures!|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1630|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=24 May 2003|access-date=22 March 2008|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027123307/http://esctoday.com/1630|url-status=live}}</ref> At the conclusion of the contest, favourites Russia placed third and Spain placed eighth, while outsiders Turkey (20-1) and Belgium (50-1) claimed the first and second places, respectively. Austria, at 100–1, were favourites to finish last, however, they scored their best result since [[Eurovision Song Contest 1989|1989]], placing sixth.<ref name=odds/>

An official [[compilation album]], featuring all twenty-six competing entries from the contest, was released for the first time on the [[EMI]]/[[CMC International|CMC]] label.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ebu.ch/news/press_archive/press_breves_2003_110_esc_cd.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030624012757/http://www.ebu.ch/news/press_archive/press_breves_2003_110_esc_cd.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 June 2003|title=Eurovision Song Contest Riga 2003: CD available now|publisher=[[European Broadcasting Union]]|access-date=24 March 2008}}</ref>

===Graphic design===
The design of the contest was built around the theme "Magical rendez-vous", which represented the meeting of the various European nations coming to Latvia and encountering Latvia's versatile landscapes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/868/eurovision_2003_theme_will_be_rendez-vous/|title=Eurovision 2003 theme will be rendez-vous|last=Bakker|first=Sietse|date=26 November 2002|publisher=ESCToday.com|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101142942/http://esctoday.com/868/eurovision_2003_theme_will_be_rendez-vous/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Decade2003" /> LTV launched a competition in order to find the logo for the contest. At the close of the competition, high interest from the public translated into 204 logo submissions, which were ultimately judged by a jury panel consisting of Uldis-Ivars Grava (general director of LTV), Arvīds Babris (then executive producer of the contest), Ugis Brikmanis (director), Laimonis Šteinbergs (artist), Ingūna Rībena (architect), Arta Giga (LTV representative) and Juhan Paadam (EBU representative).<ref>{{cite web|first=Aija|last=Medinika|title=204 logo propositions for ESC 2003|url=http://www.esctoday.com/760/204_logo_propositions_for_esc_2003/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=27 November 2002|access-date=18 November 2013|archive-date=31 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031002242/http://esctoday.com/760/204_logo_propositions_for_esc_2003/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 16 November 2002, LTV and the EBU presented the logo for the contest which was designed by the director of the Computer Graphics Department of LTV, Maris Kalve with further elaboration by LTV's chief artist Kristaps Skulte.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=Logo for Eurovision 2003 selected|url=http://www.esctoday.com/783/logo_for_eurovision_2003_selected/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=27 November 2002|access-date=18 November 2013|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030232847/http://esctoday.com/783/logo_for_eurovision_2003_selected/|url-status=live}}</ref> The logo was named ''upes'', the Latvian word for rivers, and carried the slogan "All rivers flow toward the sea, all songs flow toward the Eurovision Song Contest".

The postcards shown between the entries were directed by Ugis Brikmanis and featured the artists competing at the contest interacting with Latvia's various landscapes: forests, rivers, lakes and towns. The postcards were recorded during the preceding week of the contest and ran behind schedule, leading to some postcards featuring only footage from the rehearsals and press conferences.<ref name=escinsight>{{cite web|first=Paul|last=Jordan|title=What's Another Year? Ten Years On From Riga|url=http://www.escinsight.com/2013/01/11/whats-another-year-ten-years-on-from-riga/|publisher=ESCInsight|date=11 January 2013|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=23 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123115556/https://escinsight.com/2013/01/11/whats-another-year-ten-years-on-from-riga/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The stage design was created by Aigars Ozoliņš and based on the concept called Planet Latvia.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=Eurovision Song Contest 2003 on Planet Latvia|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1438/eurovision_song_contest_2003_on_planet_latvia/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=27 March 2003|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030070046/http://esctoday.com/1438/eurovision_song_contest_2003_on_planet_latvia/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=stage>{{cite web|first=Itamar|last=Barak|title=Magical encounter on the Eurovision stage|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1499/magical_encounter_on_the_eurovision_stage/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=7 May 2003|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=31 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031231221/http://esctoday.com/1499/magical_encounter_on_the_eurovision_stage/|url-status=live}}</ref> The stage used several light and video effects and included an innovation new to the contest – a video screen stage floor that could be used to give each entry a unique look.<ref name=stage/> The green room where the delegations and competitors awaited the results of the contest was placed directly behind the stage and unveiled shortly before the voting portion of the show commenced, allowing the audience to see the representatives of the competing nations as they received points.<ref name=stage22>{{cite web|first=Remi|last=Kübar|title=Details revealed about the stage in May|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1240/details_revealed_about_the_stage_in_may/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=7 February 2003|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109083255/http://esctoday.com/1240/details_revealed_about_the_stage_in_may/|url-status=live}}</ref> For the first time, the scoreboard automatically rearranged itself in descending order as each point was awarded, making it easier for the audience and television viewers to follow the exact progress of the competitors throughout the voting process.

===National host broadcaster===
Initially, Arvīds Babris, head of the Latvian delegation at the 2002 contest, was appointed as executive producer for the contest, however, after production fell behind schedule and the EBU applied pressure upon LTV, he was dismissed and Brigita Rozenbrika took over the position, receiving additional support from the Swedish broadcaster {{lang|sv|[[Sveriges Television]]|i=no}} (SVT) and Estonian broadcaster {{lang|et|[[Eesti Televisioon]]|i=no}} (ETV).<ref name="Decade2003" /><ref>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=Arvids Babris will produce the contest in Latvia|url=http://www.esctoday.com/737/arvids_babris_will_produce_the_contest_in_latvia/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=28 November 2002|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=26 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026034709/http://esctoday.com/737/arvids_babris_will_produce_the_contest_in_latvia/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Itamar|last=Barak|title=Riga 2003: A new executive producer|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1422/riga_2003_a_new_executive_producer/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=18 March 2003|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=2 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102121353/http://esctoday.com/1422/riga_2003_a_new_executive_producer/|url-status=live}}</ref> SVT was also the technical producer of the contest for the second year running with [[Sven Stojanović]] as director and the Swedish lighting company Spectra+ contracted for the contest.<ref>{{cite web|first=Bjørn Erik|last=Opheim|title=SVT to produce 2003 Eurovision Song Contest|url=http://www.esctoday.com/992/svt_to_produce_2003_eurovision_song_contest/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=13 December 2002|access-date=21 March 2008|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101021010/http://esctoday.com/992/svt_to_produce_2003_eurovision_song_contest/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Spectra+ lands third Eurovision contract|url=http://livedesignonline.com/news/lighting_spectra_lands_third/|publisher=Live Design|date=17 April 2003|access-date=21 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531012712/http://livedesignonline.com/news/lighting_spectra_lands_third/|archive-date=31 May 2009}}</ref>

===Voting system===
The EBU reintroduced televoting as an obligatory voting mode in all participating countries, which awarded 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points to their ten favourite songs, in ascending order. Countries voted in the same order as they had performed. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia were granted an exception to holding a televote as they cited that their telecommunications penetration was less than 80%.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2932760.stm|title=Turkish delight at Eurovision win|website=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=24 May 2003|access-date=16 November 2013|archive-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017021658/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2932760.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="2003 rules" /> Polish broadcaster {{lang|pl|[[Telewizja Polska]]|i=no}} opted to use only [[Short Message Service|SMS]]-voting.<ref>{{cite web|first=Aija|last=Medinika|title=Poland will use SMS-voting only|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1631/poland_will_use_sms-voting_only/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=24 May 2003|access-date=23 March 2008|archive-date=29 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029201440/http://esctoday.com/1631/poland_will_use_sms-voting_only/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the televoting/smsvoting household shall not be permitted to vote more than three times.<ref name="2003 rules" /> All other participating broadcasters planned to use a televote. Due to a technical issue, [[#Russian complaint against Irish vote|Ireland used results from their back-up jury]] instead of televoting.<ref name=IrelandRussia /> This contest was also the first to introduce a computer-generated scoreboard which rearranged itself in order as the points were awarded. Participating broadcasters were required to assemble back-up juries that consisted of eight voting members, with age and gender equally distributed, in the case of televote failure on the night of the competition.<ref name="2003 rules" /> Four members of the jury had to be members of the general public and the other four members had to be music professionals.<ref name="2003 rules" />

===Future changes in contest format===
With the increased number of potential participating countries, the EBU began to review the format of the contest with potential changes being considered such as adding extra evenings for the show, holding a regional pre-selection, or putting a limit to number of participating countries by increasing the entrance fee. On 29 January 2003, the EBU unveiled a two-night system for the contest in 2004: a semi-final would be held before a grand final. The "[[Big Four (Eurovision)|Big Four]]", along with the top ten from the 2003 contest, would automatically qualify for the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2004|2004 final]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Sietse|last=Bakker|title=EBU confirms new Eurovision Song Contest format|url=http://www.esctoday.com/1192/ebu_confirms_new_eurovision_song_contest_format/|publisher=ESCToday.com|date=29 January 2003|access-date=20 November 2013|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109090304/http://esctoday.com/1192/ebu_confirms_new_eurovision_song_contest_format/|url-status=live}}</ref> The format change eliminated the relegation system, allowing all countries to send an artist and song to the contest. The fourteen eventual countries from the 2003 contest that qualified to compete directly in the 2004 final were Turkey, Belgium, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Spain, Iceland, Romania, Ireland, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. All other countries would have to compete in the semi-final for ten remaining spots in the final.