G'Day From Downunder

Get the champers out, we have things to talk about: The Good The Bad and The Ugly

The Good

This week is Eurovision week and almost all of Europe will be glued to their TV screens to watch the Eurovision Song Contest's 56th year.

I wonder in 56 years time will anyone remember American Idol, The X Factor, The Voice, and all the others?

The Eurovision Song contest is an amazing institution for many reasons.

In 1955 the members of the European Broadcasting Union decided to investigate how to set up a song contest between European countries based on the popular San Remo Festival.

The outcome was the establishment of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Eurovision has all elements of success and failures along with controversy and also money in the old brown bag and the same old story of money makes the world go round.

The first event was held in Switzerland, there was no monetary reward, and each country bore its own expenses with Switzerland picking up the cost of running the show.

Since then the contest has had amazing success and its fair share of disasters.

ABBA were the number one success in 1974 with Waterloo and at the height of their careers they were bringing more money into Sweden than Saab were bringing in for the sale of their jet fighters and Volvo for the sale of their cars combined.

Other notable successes along the way included Sandi Shaw in 1967 winning with 'Puppet on a String' and Cliff Richards who came second in 1968 with 'Congratulations'.

In 1970 Mary Hopkins came second with 'Knock Knock (who's there)', the year our own Dana won the event with 'All Kinds of Everything', this being the first of Ireland's seven wins in the competition.

World famous Julio Iglesias could only manage sixth that same year.

England again had another near win in 1972 with the New Seekers coming second with 'Beg Steal or Borrow,' another chart hit as was The Brotherhood of Man's 1976 win with 'Save All Your Kisses for Me'.

Who can remember England's winner in 1981 and that moment of shock when the boys whipped off the skirts of the girls in that spectacular performance of 'Making your Mind Up' by Bucks Fizz.

My favourite of all was 1972's magnificent performance of Luxemburg's Vicky Leandros singing 'Après Toi' (After You) - a worthy winner and from the very moment she opened her mouth it was obvious that she had the audience in the palm of her hand.

By the way, Ireland is the only country to have won three years in a row - in 1992, '93 and '94.

Irish bands Hothouse Flowers and Boysown used the interval brake of the show over the years to expose their music to the large audience of Europe with huge success.

In 1994 Eurovision brought Irish dancing to the world with its gob smacking vision of Riverdance.

This Irish dancing show went on to make hundreds of millions of Euros and continues to bring mega millions to its benefactors while still allowing for the huge amount of out of court settlement that Michael Flatley rightly pocketed some years ago.

A story best told when all concerned are deceased.

The Bad

Now for the disasters: while Celine Dion won for Switzerland in 1988 the song bombed and she never wanted to be associated with the event ever again though it gave her instant recognition and exposure to a huge audience.

Julio found fame through Eurovision and success came later on as with Celine.

In spite of the 56 years that the event has been running it attracts a huge audience but with little commercial success for the artist with the exception of the few that I mentioned above.

Controversy follows the show as a dog follows his bone with eagerness.

The contest is constantly marred by complaints of political bias on the voting.

That is one neighbouring country voting for another.

In 1998 the contest was in turmoil over Israel entering a transsexual Dana International and it caused more controversy when he/she won.

Some of the major failures at the event include The Shadows, with 'Let me Be the One' in 1975, Cliff Richards, Australia's Gina G singing 'Just A Little Bit For England' in 1996, and then there was Julio in 1970 who didn't get a look in when our Dana out performed him.

In 1969 England's Lulu performed 'Bang Bang,' another non runner.

The Ugly

Irish TV network RTE constantly complained of how costly it was to be telecasting the event every time Ireland won, but I can tell you nothing was further from the truth.

I know firsthand as I had spent a lot of time with those who were in the forefront of the event from 1994 to 1997 and I can tell you it was a lovely cash-cow for the privileged.

My company - then Globe Events Management - was contracted by the European Broadcasting Union to produce a plan to take the Eurovision Song Contest into a new era as the eastern block of countries were liberated and it was anticipated that the event would have to grow or die.

My three-year involvement with the EBU gave me full access to all information relating to the Eurovision Song Contest.

Ireland's information was tough to get your hands on but that didn't stop me from getting the information indirectly from those who were close to those that were hiding it within RTE.

This task I took a delight in, as I knew someday the truth would have to be told and that day is not far away.

I have been interviewed by two Irish papers over the years on the whereabouts of the money made out of Ireland's participation in the song contest and also wanting to know where the funding for Riverdance came from and who were the real recipients of the proceeds?

To print and be dammed was too high a price to pay for the truth at the time, but as we all know, time runs out for all men and we are getting closer to the day.

The now "moved on" RTE execs, who thought that the body was buried and rotten may have a surprise one day because, guess what, it's raising its ugly head again.

Corruption can only exsist if good men stay silent and in this case the lid is still waiting to explode and when it does the true nature of those who walked off with the treasure chest will be revealed.

RTE has cried "poor mouth" for years while it milked the cow for every drop of milk it could get from the highly successful event while the writers of the songs and the performing artist received only scraps from the table of plenty.

The event is a wonderful excuse for the privileged within RTE to have a junket with their entourage of mates at the expense of the taxpayer.

In spite of the economic situation in Ireland at the moment I bet you if Ireland were to win the event this year and it's unlikely, but if they were to, there is no doubt Ireland would be holding the Eurovision Song Contest next year.

Before I close off let me, ask you have you ever wondered why The Eurovision Song Contest was held in the small County Cork town of Millstreet?

A town of only 1,500 people and miles from hotels and essential amenities?

This was and still is, the only time this event was ever telecast from a small remote country area.

Are you one of those who believe that it was held there especial for the lovely people of Millstreet?

For if so you should be asking "when is the toot fairy calling"?

What you should be asking is "why would RTE have gone to a remote country town with no facilities to hold such an event when they had all that was required in their own back yard?"

Was there a good reason to take the event to Millstreet?

Of course there was... it's called Money Money Money.

Until I talk to you again be good to those who love you and Slainte from Downunder.

You can contact Mike at mike@globefins.com.au