Eurovision Fever

[KKOB]

So, the "fever" was the start of another terminal illness.

[koukla]

I don't understand politics and I really don't want to to be honest.  I can't help but notice though,  if only by reading this forum that there appear to be quite major changes afoot in Turkey, i.e banning social media.

Is any of that anything to do with the fact that Turkey weren't represented in the Eurovision last night as I know they have been entering for many years in the past?

[Scunner]

There's so many countries these days that there are qualifying rounds before the final - I just assumed Turkey didn't make it through?

[Colwyn]

Turkey did not participate in the contest in 2013 and 2014 as a protest against the rules of the competition. In particular, the reasons cited were (i) the automatic qualification of The Big Five (who stump up most of the money) to the finals; and (ii) the jury plus telephone voting system. Instead TRT broadcast Turkvision; a similar contest but only for "Turkic" nations (i.e. those with a large Turkic population - including Crimea). I presume Turkey automatically qualified for the finals. How successful this was I don't know but Turkey is going to enter Eurovision again in 2015.

[koukla]

Ahhh.....thank you both for that.