Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

If Australia did its best ratings so far, so did Italy. The country has had a rocky restart what comes to viewings since its comeback but it's been steadily growing and this year breaks all the previous records. The final has been followed in average by 3.292.000 viewers with a peak at 4.786.000 making it the third most watched programme of the evening right after major channels Rai1 and Canale5.  The first semifinal that was ment to be showed live for the first time but then cancelled and showed on Wednesday night at 11pm gathered anyway 212.000 with the peak at 314.000. The second semifinal where Italy voted got 792.000 and 1.092.000 peak.  Eurovision has been also a success on Twitter.  We didn't get to Torino 2016 but maybe 2017? Italy and RAI are ready. And meanwhile Il Volo will fly to European success..... 

The Italian fans are in outrage after the head of RAI entertainment Giancarlo Leone tweeted "Eurosong tonight. Nina Zilli as a favorite. Who wins organize the next year say the rules. But it's not obligatory. " Past days various comments have made us believe RAI is in it for real and is ready and willing to organize Eurovision 2013 should they win, and even the city of Torino has popped us a hot favorite for the occasion. Leone, who is knows to be very anti-Eurovision has now pulled the rug under the hopes of the fans who are ready to say their mind by tweeting him back @giankaleone . Why don't you tweet him as well? And after making Eurovision with #Escita the number one in Twitter trending topics last Tuesday the fans tonight they are ready for another attack so all readers all over Europe and world, join and tweet! Also #eurovision will do. Forza ragazzi, ce la possiamo fare! Uniti, uniti! 

After last year's poor viewing figures the Italian fans were all wondering how it will go this year and can RAI make Eurovision interesting to Italians again. So far it it looking good. The share on RAI5 has nearly doubled from last year as it was 64.000 or 0,23% that mirror's the channels prime time figures. So, if they didn't gain that many viewers at least they didn't lose them to other channels either! This said, the figures are of course very small compared to most other countries but it is a small step to the right direction. But also the media has treated Eurovision this week with some attention one could have only dreamed before. TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, leading TV guide dedicates to Eurovision 2012 three pages. Yes three as in 3! Something that hasn't happened since early 1980's it seems. Also the other TV Guides have mostly mentioned Nina Zilli and Eurovision with pictures in their Saturday's program guide.  But the fans have made a special eff...

Namely who will be the commentators and the spokesperson, a rather crucial choice in a country where the host or the hostess can make a show "worth watching" or leave it to total ignorance: Put there someone unknown or unpopular and no one is interested to watch, put there someone famous and popular and Italians will tune in and watch no matter what the show is. And it seems RAI has done a rather decent work. The final will be commented off screen, like every other country does unlike the last year's experience with studio talk show with Raffaella Carrá, by Gialappa's Band, a trio of comics with a great following and household name and string of successes since mid-80's on radio, TV and movies. They should at least in theory attract people watching. On the other hand there's always a risk they will make it a comedy and freak show and have a laugh about the whole thing ... But at least the viewing figures might be decent! The Italian spokesperson who will ...

Following Anggun also Kurt Calleja managed to get some on air time on RAI's channels in Italy when he performed in London Live 2.0 on Rai2 last night. Full of energy and all smiles he sung live his This is the night  and in the interview confessed in English/Italian it was his dream to do Eurovision and be able to perform on RAI. Two dreams achieved (just like he talked with Blogilkar about dreams here ) this spring for Kurt then! :-) And congratulations for your birthday yesterday as well!!!

The Eurovision song contest is concidered a public service in Italy and in RAI all of sudden, just like the Sanremo festival, cultural programmes (art, opera and such) and sporting events. In other words broadcasting this event is funded by the TV licence and the viewing figures shouldn't pay such a big role at all. What has caused this change of heart in the offices of RAI is anyone's guess. This is at least in the contract of the broadcaster for the season 2010-2012, after that who knows? One might add that the price of the TV licence in Italy for 2012 goes up 1,50 euros to 112 euros (while in Finland in 2013 it will be changed to a tax to be paid by everyone depending on earnings - whether you have a TV or not. Just to compare, for 2012 in Finland you pay 252,25 euros)