Editing Eurovision Song Contest 1961 (section)

== Broadcasts<span class="anchor" id="Broadcasters and commentators"></span> ==
<!-- Anchor in the header is the old section name -->
Broadcasters competing in the event were required to relay the contest via its networks; non-participating EBU member broadcasters were also able to relay the contest.<ref name="Rules">{{cite web |title=The Rules of the Contest |date=31 October 2018 |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/rules |publisher=[[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU) |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004011300/https://eurovision.tv/about/rules |archive-date=4 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Broadcasters were able to send commentators to provide coverage of the contest in their own native language and to relay information about the artists and songs to their television viewers. These commentators were typically sent to the venue to report on the event, and were able to provide commentary from small booths constructed at the back of the venue.<ref>{{cite web |title=Commentator's guide to the commentators |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/commentator-s-guide-to-the-commentators |publisher=[[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU) |access-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112181824/https://eurovision.tv/story/commentator-s-guide-to-the-commentators |archive-date=12 November 2018 |date=15 May 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Escudero |first1=Victor M. |title=Commentators: The national hosts of Eurovision |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/commentators-sweden-mans-zelmerlow-edward-af-sillen |publisher=[[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU) |access-date=2 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516182452/https://eurovision.tv/story/commentators-sweden-mans-zelmerlow-edward-af-sillen |archive-date=16 May 2017 |date=14 May 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Local press reported a total of 14 commentators reporting on the contest, with a total of 16 countries broadcasting the event.<ref name="Espoir2">{{Cite news |date=18 March 1961 |title=Grand Prix Eurovision de la chanson |trans-title=Eurovision Song Grand Prix |pages=4 |work=L'Espoir de Nice et du Sud-Est |location=[[Nice]], France |issn=1166-9012}}</ref><ref name="Espoir1" />

No official accounts of total international viewing figures are known to exist; an estimate given in the French press ahead of the contest suggested there would be 40 million viewers across Europe.<ref name="Espoir1" /> Known details on the broadcasts in each country, including the specific broadcasting stations and commentators are shown in the tables below.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
|+ Broadcasters and commentators
|-
! scope="col" | Country
! scope="col" | Broadcaster
! scope="col" | Channel(s)
! scope="col" | Commentator(s)
! scope="col" | {{refh}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Austria}}
| [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]]
| [[ORF 1|ORF]]
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{Cite news |title=Fernsehprogramm vom 12. bis 18. März 1961 |trans-title=Television schedule from 12 to 18 March 1961 |url=https://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno?aid=blf&datum=19610311&seite=12 |access-date=25 June 2024 |work={{ill|Burgenland Freizeit|de|lt=Burgenländische Freiheit}} |date=11 March 1961 |location=[[Eisenstadt]], Austria |page=12 |language=de |via=[[Austrian National Library]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Belgium}}
| [[Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep|BRT]]
| [[VRT 1|BRT]]
| {{ill|Nic Bal|nl}}
| style="text-align:center" rowspan="2" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Télévision |trans-title=Television |url=https://uurl.kbr.be/1609649 |url-access=registration |date=18 March 1961 |work=[[Le Soir]] |location=[[Brussels]], Belgium |access-date=2 February 2025 |page=10 |language=fr |via={{ill|BelgicaPress|nl}}}}</ref><ref name="Mediapro">{{cite web |date=2023 |orig-date=18 March 1961 |title=6ème concours Eurovision de la chanson 1961 |trans-title=6th Eurovision Song Contest 1961 |url=https://www.inamediapro.com/notice/PHD89040130 |url-access=subscription |access-date=14 April 2024 |website=INA Mediapro |publisher={{lang|fr|[[Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]|i=unset}} (RTF) |type=Television broadcast |via=[[Institut national de l'audiovisuel]] (INA) |quote=Robert Beauvis: j'ai la charge d'assurer le commentaire pour le Grand Duché de Luxembourg, Monaco, la Suisse romande et parallèlement [...] Nic Bal, qui le fait en langue flamande pour la Belgique. |trans-quote=Robert Beauvis: I am responsible for ensuring the commentary for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Monaco, French-speaking Switzerland and in parallel with [...] Nic Bal, who does it in the Flemish language for Belgium.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Radiodiffusion-télévision belge|RTB]]
| [[La Une|RTB]]
| [[Robert Beauvais]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Denmark}}
| [[DR (broadcaster)|DR]]
| {{lang|da|[[DR1|Danmarks Radio TV]]|i=unset}}, [[DR P1|Program 1]]
| [[Sejr Volmer-Sørensen]]
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=Alle tiders programoversigter – Lørdag den 18. marts 1961 |trans-title=All-time programme overviews – Saturday 18 March 1961 |url=https://www.dr.dk/alletidersprogramoversigter/?date=1961-03-18 |publisher=[[DR (broadcaster)|DR]] |language=da |access-date=21 May 2024}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Finland}}
| [[Yle|YLE]]
| {{lang|fi|[[Yle TV1|Suomen Televisio]]|i=unset}}, {{lang|fi|{{ill|Yleisohjelma|fi|Yleisohjelma (Suomen Yleisradio)}}|i=unset}}
| {{ill|Aarno Walli|fi}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Radio ja televisio |trans-title=Radio and television |url=https://nakoislehti.hs.fi/c5e4037a-c26c-4a49-aa9d-74a2f994d5c3 |access-date=7 November 2022 |work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] |location=[[Helsinki]], Finland |date=18 March 1961 |pages=33 |language=fi |url-access=subscription}}</ref>{{sfn|Pajala|2013|loc="Walli was closely involved in YLE's ESC productions; among other things he [...] provided the commentary for all the 1960s ESCs on Finnish television"}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|France}}
| [[Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française|RTF]]
| [[TF1|RTF]], [[France Inter|France I]]
| Robert Beauvais
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Télérama">{{Cite news |date=12 March 1961 |title=Samedi 18 mars |trans-title=Saturday 18 March |work=[[Télérama]] |location=Paris, France |page=24 |issue=582 |issn=0040-2699 |oclc=840599726}}</ref><ref name="LeSoir">{{cite news |title=À la radio – Samedi 18 mars |trans-title=On the radio – Saturday 18 March |url=https://uurl.kbr.be/1609649 |url-access=registration |date=18 March 1961 |work=[[Le Soir]] |location=[[Brussels]], Belgium |access-date=2 February 2025 |page=10 |language=fr |via={{ill|BelgicaPress|nl}}}}</ref><ref name="INA3">{{cite web |title=Remise du Grand Prix Eurovision 1961 à Jean-Claude Pascal (Luxembourg) |trans-title=Presentation of the 1961 Eurovision Grand Prix to Jean-Claude Pascal (Luxembourg) |url=https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/i00005165/remise-du-grand-prix-eurovision-1961-a-jean-claude-pascal-luxembourg |access-date=19 June 2022 |language=fr |via={{lang|fr|[[Institut national de l'audiovisuel]]|i=unset}} (INA)}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Germany}}
| [[ARD (broadcaster)|ARD]]
| {{lang|de|[[Das Erste|Deutsches Fernsehen]]|i=unset}}
| Wolf Mittler
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sieh fern mit Hör Zu! {{!}} SA 18. März |trans-title=Watch TV with <span lang="de">Hör Zu!</span> {{!}} Sat 18 March |url=https://archive.org/details/hor-zu-1961-heft-11/page/72/mode/2up |access-date=24 May 2024 |work=[[Hörzu|Hör Zu!]] |date=12 March 1961 |issue=11 |location=[[Hamburg]], West Germany |page=72 |language=de |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Italy}}
| [[RAI]]
| {{lang|it|[[Rai 1|RAI Televisione]]|i=unset}}, {{lang|it|[[Rai Radio 2|Secondo Programma]]|i=unset}}
| [[Corrado Mantoni]]
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite magazine |title=TV {{!}} sabato 18 marzo |trans-title=TV {{!}} Saturday 18 March |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1961{{!}}11{{!}}000{{!}}P |magazine=[[Radiocorriere TV]] |location=[[Turin]], Italy |date=12–18 March 1961 |volume=38 |issue=11 |page=46 |access-date=1 June 2024 |language=it |via=[[Rai Teche]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Radio {{!}} sabato |trans-title=Radio {{!}} Saturday |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1961{{!}}11{{!}}000{{!}}P |magazine=[[Radiocorriere TV]] |location=[[Turin]], Italy |date=12–18 March 1961 |volume=38 |issue=11 |pages=44–45 |access-date=1 June 2024 |language=it |via=[[Rai Teche]]}}</ref>{{sfn|Anselmi|2020|loc="{{lang|it|Nel 1961 è [Mantoni] commentatore Rai dell'Eurovision Song Contest|i=unset}}." [In 1961 [Mantoni] was the commentator for Rai at the Eurovision Song Contest.]}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Luxembourg}}
| [[Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion|CLT]]
| {{lang|fr|[[RTL9|Télé-Luxembourg]]|i=unset}}
| Robert Beauvais
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Mediapro"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Radio-Télévision |url=https://viewer.eluxemburgensia.lu/ark:70795/08tq45ksr/pages/19 |access-date=11 November 2022 |work=[[Luxemburger Wort]] |location=[[Luxembourg City]], Luxembourg |date=18 March 1961 |language=de, fr |page=19 |via=[[National Library of Luxembourg]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" | {{Flagu|Monaco}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|fr|[[TMC (TV channel)|Télé Monte-Carlo]]|i=unset}}, [[RMC (France)|Radio Monte Carlo]]
| Robert Beauvais
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Mediapro"/><ref name="LeSoir" />
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Netherlands}}
| [[Nederlandse Televisie Stichting|NTS]]
| [[NPO 1|NTS]]
| Piet te Nuyl Jr.
| style="text-align:center" rowspan="2" | <ref name="De Telegraaf">{{cite news |title=Programma's binnen- en buitenlandse zenders |trans-title=Programmes on domestic and foreign channels |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:110588184:mpeg21:p009 |access-date=19 June 2022 |work=[[De Telegraaf]] |location=[[Amsterdam]], Netherlands |date=17 March 1961 |language=nl |page=9 |via=[[Delpher]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Eurovisie Songfestival ook op radio |trans-title=Eurovision Song Contest also on radio |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011234148:mpeg21:p006 |access-date=26 June 2023 |work=[[De Tijd De Maasbode]] |location=[[Amsterdam]], Netherlands |date=7 March 1961 |language=nl |page=6 |via=[[Delpher]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dutch Radio Union|NRU]]
| [[NPO Radio 2|Hilversum 1]]
| Coen Serré
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Norway}}
| [[NRK]]
| {{lang|no|[[NRK1|NRK Fjernsynet]]|i=unset}}, [[NRK P1|NRK]]
| [[Leif Rustad]]
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Hørt i Radio |trans-title=Heard on the Radio |url=https://www.nb.no/items/ef048a49af56e19255e72391e64a6699?page=1 |access-date=19 June 2022 |work=Haugesunds Dagblad |location=[[Haugesund]], Norway |date=20 March 1961 |page=3 |language=no |via=[[National Library of Norway]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Radioprogrammet |trans-title=The radio programme |url=https://www.nb.no/items/b6f3903ed2ba3c96bfd400ce4a4b2277?page=7 |access-date=19 June 2022 |work=[[Sandefjords Blad]] |location=[[Sandefjord]], Norway |date=18 March 1961 |page=8 |language=no |via=[[National Library of Norway]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Spain|1945}}
| [[Televisión Española|TVE]]
| [[La 1 (Spanish TV channel)|TVE]]
| {{ill|Federico Gallo|es}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Vanguardia">{{cite news |title=Radio y TV |trans-title=Radio and TV |url=https://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1961/03/18/pagina-30/32693189/pdf.html |access-date=14 December 2022 |work=[[La Vanguardia]] |location=[[Barcelona]], Spain |date=18 March 1961 |page=30 |language=es |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=T.V.E. difundira, el sabado, el festival 'Eurocancion' de Cannes |trans-title=T.V.E. will broadcast the Cannes 'Eurovision' festival on Saturday |url=https://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1961/03/16/pagina-29/32692622/pdf.html |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=[[La Vanguardia]] |location=[[Barcelona]], Spain |date=16 March 1961 |page=29 |language=es |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
|-
| [[Radio Nacional de España|RNE]]
| [[Radio Nacional (Spanish radio station)|RNE]]
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Vanguardia" />
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Sweden}}
| [[Sveriges Radio|SR]]
| {{lang|sv|[[SVT1|Sveriges TV]]|i=unset}}, [[Sveriges Radio P1|SR P1]]
| {{ill|Jan Gabrielsson|sv}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=TV. och radioprogrammen |trans-title=TV. and the radio programmes |work=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |date=18 March 1961 |location=[[Stockholm]], Sweden |page=22 |language=sv}}</ref>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | {{Flagu|Switzerland}}
| rowspan="4" | [[Swiss Broadcasting Corporation|SRG SSR]]
| [[SRF 1|TV DRS]], [[Radio SRF 2 Kultur|Radio Bern]]
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Radio und Fernsehen |trans-title=Radio and television |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=DBB19610318-01.1.4 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=[[Der Bund]] |page=4 |date=17–18 March 1961 |location=[[Bern]], Switzerland |language=de |via=[[E-newspaperarchives.ch]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[RTS 1 (Swiss TV channel)|TSR]]
| Robert Beauvais
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite magazine |title=TV |url=https://scriptorium.ch/zoom/323046/view?page=13&p=verso&tool=info |access-date=19 June 2022 |magazine=[[TV8 (magazine)|Radio TV – Je vois tout]] |date=9 March 1961 |volume=39 |issue=10 |location=[[Lausanne]], Switzerland |pages=24–27 |language=fr |via=[[Scriptorium (website)|Scriptorium]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[RSI La 1|TSI]], [[RSI Rete Uno|Radio Monte Ceneri]]
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Spettacoli |trans-title=Shows |url=https://www2.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&paper=gt&day=18&month=3&year=1961&page=2&papername=Gazzetta%20Ticinese&allpages=1,2,3,4,5,6 |access-date=3 July 2024 |work={{ill|Gazzetta Ticinese|it}} |date=18 March 1961 |location=[[Lugano]], Switzerland |page=2 |language=it |via={{ill|Sistema bibliotecario ticinese|it}}}}</ref>
|-
| [[La Première (Switzerland)|Radio Sottens]]
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite magazine |title=Programmes des émissions suisses et étrangères |trans-title=Swiss and foreign broadcast programmes |url=https://scriptorium.ch/zoom/323046/view?page=27&p=verso&tool=info |access-date=19 June 2022 |work=[[TV8 (magazine)|Radio TV – Je vois tout]] |date=9 March 1961 |issue=10 |location=[[Lausanne]], Switzerland |pages=33, 35–36 |language=fr |via=[[Scriptorium (website)|Scriptorium]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|United Kingdom}}
| [[BBC]]
| [[BBC One|BBC TV]]
| [[Tom Sloan (television executive)|Tom Sloan]]
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Radio Times">{{cite magazine |title=Eurovision Song Contest Grand Prix 1961 |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/21d08a26d657429ab01d8b051fa07b15 |access-date=10 July 2022 |magazine=[[Radio Times]] |location=London, United Kingdom |date=18 March 1961 |via=[[BBC Genome Project]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | {{Flagu|Yugoslavia}}
| rowspan="4" | [[Yugoslav Radio Television|JRT]]
| {{lang|sh|[[RTS1 (Serbian TV channel)|Televizija Beograd]]|i=unset}}, {{lang|sh|[[Radio Belgrade 1|Radio Beograd 1]]|i=unset}} 
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Радио Телевизија Београд |trans-title=Radio Television Belgrade |url=https://istorijskenovine.unilib.rs/view/index.html#panel:pp{{!}}issue:UB_00064_19610318{{!}}page:11 |access-date=25 May 2024 |work=[[Borba (newspaper)|Borba]] |date=18 March 1961 |location=[[Belgrade]], Yugoslavia |page=11 |language=sh-cyrl |via=[[Belgrade University Library]]}}</ref>
|-
| {{lang|sl|{{ill|TV SLO 1|sl|lt=Televizija Ljubljana}}|i=unset}}
| Saša Novak
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Delo">{{cite news |title=RTV |url=https://www.dlib.si/listalnik/URN_NBN_SI_doc-APJPOGZS/11/index.html |access-date=28 October 2024 |work=[[Delo (newspaper)|Delo]] |date=18 March 1961 |page=11 |language=sl |location=[[Ljubljana]], Yugoslavia |via=[[Digital Library of Slovenia]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitrović |first1=Nemanja |title=Evrovizijski put Jugoslavije - od socijalističkog autsajdera do festivalskog pobednika |trans-title=Yugoslavia's Eurovision journey - from a socialist outsider to a festival winner |url=https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/balkan-60596384 |work=[[BBC News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514235208/https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/balkan-60596384 |archive-date=14 May 2022 |language=sr-latn |date=6 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| {{lang|sh|[[HRT 1|Televizija Zagreb]]|i=unset}}
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |title=TV Program |url=https://arhiv.slobodnadalmacija.hr/pvpages/pvpages/viewPage/?pv_page_id=239580&pv_issue_no=610318_A |access-date=22 July 2022 |work=[[Slobodna Dalmacija]] |date=18 March 1961 |page=8 |language=sh |location=[[Split, Croatia|Split]], Yugoslavia |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
|-
| [[Radio Val 202|Radio Ljubljana 2]]
| {{N/A|}}
| style="text-align:center" | <ref name="Delo" />
|}