Posted September 2, 201014 yr It seems that Mr Melodifestivalen could be moving onto bigger and better things :o From ESC Today; According to aftonbladet.se, Christer Björkman has been offered to become the new executive superviser of the Eurovision Song Contest. He would be taking over the job from Svante Stockselius, who has announced that he will leave the position at the end of the year. Christer Björkman represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992 finishing 22nd with his song I morgon är en annan dag. Since 2002, he has been head of Melodifestivalen, the annual Swedish national final. He is also a member of the Reference Groups. In case he takes the position offered by the EBU, SVT is reported to already have a list with possible replacements. He's done a hell of a lot for MF, so I have no doubt he'd do a great job here. MF 2011 is his last one I read somewhere, plus the 50th anniversary, so it's sure to be a big show - I just hope Sweden can return to the top ten finally (well, if they send a decent song that is - no Las Vegas style disasters thanks). Loving reading some of the fan reactions to this news on ESC Today; Changes he will implement; -8 or more people on stage -Backing vocals can be prerecorded, and maybe even the main vocals also -No more draws, mr Bjorkman will pick the performance order himself -Some complex extra random voting procedures -The big favorite will always perform last -He seems be eurovision-maniac in bad way, follower of 100% schlagers... lol at the 3rd and 4th comments :lol:
September 2, 201014 yr Oh dear :( He's fine for Sweden and MF, and I'm a schlager-boy but if they are picking from the current crop of ESC country-heads, they have to pick Bruno Berberes, the head of the French delegation, who loves both the music and the show (tho mostly cos he's French :kink:)
September 2, 201014 yr He's AWFUL for MF! :lol: Although to be fair I only hate him for the running order.
September 2, 201014 yr Author He's AWFUL for MF! :lol: Although to be fair I only hate him for the running order. Why? He's put on an incredible show for the last few years, far better than any other national final and damn close to being as enjoyable as Eurovision itself. The only complaint I have is that he (or his team) pick the running order themselves, but that's first and foremost because MF acts as not only an ESC selection show but also a music show the scale that X Factor is here, probably bigger seeing as it dominates the charts in a way like no other (imagine the uproar from the iLoons if the entire top 20 the week of the final was singles by X Factor acts like MF is to the Swedish charts :lol:). Would Simon Cowell really pick the draw in a live show of X Factor at random, having all of the hyped acts at the start and bland ones at the end? Wouldn't exactly keep people watching from start to finish - it's all about the ratings and the $$$! He'd never be let loose to do this at ESC though, there'd be an absolute uproar.
September 2, 201014 yr Why? He's put on an incredible show for the last few years, far better than any other national final and damn close to being as enjoyable as Eurovision itself. The only complaint I have is that he (or his team) pick the running order themselves, but that's first and foremost because MF acts as not only an ESC selection show but also a music show the scale that X Factor is here, probably bigger seeing as it dominates the charts in a way like no other (imagine the uproar from the iLoons if the entire top 20 the week of the final was singles by X Factor acts like MF is to the Swedish charts :lol:). Would Simon Cowell really pick the draw in a live show of X Factor at random, having all of the hyped acts at the start and bland ones at the end? Wouldn't exactly keep people watching from start to finish - it's all about the ratings and the $$$! He'd never be let loose to do this at ESC though, there'd be an absolute uproar. Indeed, hence why I say I just hate him for the running order thing :P It may bring in ratings and $$$, but it also basically amounts to him picking the winner, really.
September 2, 201014 yr Author Indeed, hence why I say I just hate him for the running order thing :P It may bring in ratings and $$$, but it also basically amounts to him picking the winner, really. Maybe, although Anna was pretty damn unstoppable this year, I think she would have won it if she'd performed from wherever, god knows why she was so much more favoured than Kom and Keep On Walking though :o But there's no doubt in my mind that had Caroline Af Ugglas and Malena swapped performance order places in 2009, we would have seen the former winning...seeing as she was only 4,000 televotes adrift of winning, despite being on way earlier. I don't think he puts his personal favourites in his favoured slots to 'pick the winner', more the ones that have gained the most hype in the media/most airplay/exposure/#1 single etc to ensure that people keep watching.
September 2, 201014 yr Maybe, although Anna was pretty damn unstoppable this year, I think she would have won it if she'd performed from wherever, god knows why she was so much more favoured than Kom and Keep On Walking though :o But there's no doubt in my mind that had Caroline Af Ugglas and Malena swapped performance order places in 2009, we would have seen the former winning...seeing as she was only 4,000 televotes adrift of winning, despite being on way earlier. I don't think he puts his personal favourites in his favoured slots to 'pick the winner', more the ones that have gained the most hype in the media/most airplay/exposure/#1 single etc to ensure that people keep watching. For such a NOTHING song (I mean, I loved it, but the loonage was quite bizarre for a run-of-the-mill singer-songwriter track) I was always shocked it got so much attention over Kom/KOW - especially as the former could've given Lena a good run for her money, with a favourable performing slot. The Swedes come up with great music, but can they be trusted enough to pick the best? :lol: Indeed, that's what annoys me - it becomes a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy for the victor.
September 3, 201014 yr AWFUL :/ The running order rule change i mean. :cry: It shouldn't be about how many people are watching. Some of them don't even watch Semis and later they say they 'watched Eurovision'. :manson: I usually say to them WATCHING EUROVISION =/= WATCHING HALF OF A FINAL WITH ANOTHER HALF BEING A-FUCKING-SLEEP OR NEAR THE RE-FUCKING-FRIGERATOR.
September 3, 201014 yr Author For such a NOTHING song (I mean, I loved it, but the loonage was quite bizarre for a run-of-the-mill singer-songwriter track) I was always shocked it got so much attention over Kom/KOW - especially as the former could've given Lena a good run for her money, with a favourable performing slot. The Swedes come up with great music, but can they be trusted enough to pick the best? :lol: Indeed, that's what annoys me - it becomes a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy for the victor. I didn't get it either to be honest. Maybe things would have been different had she been in the first semi and slightly forgotten about? It's a lovely song and she's a nice girl but no way did it deserve to trample all over Kom and Keep On Walking, both would have qualified at least! Looking at MF finalists for the last ten years and then the quality of its winners, I think it's fair to say that Sweden never pick the best :lol: AWFUL :/ The running order rule change i mean. :cry: It shouldn't be about how many people are watching. Some of them don't even watch Semis and later they say they 'watched Eurovision'. :manson: I usually say to them WATCHING EUROVISION =/= WATCHING HALF OF A FINAL WITH ANOTHER HALF BEING A-FUCKING-SLEEP OR NEAR THE RE-FUCKING-FRIGERATOR. No rules have actually changed :lol: This is some Christer hater on the ESC Today site presuming what he might do were he to get the job.
September 3, 201014 yr There is no way the running order will be pre-determined should Christer take over. I can see him adding some more elements to the draw to make it more "fun" but it will always be basically random. Melodifestivalen is completely different, as although the songs and artists are in competition, they are all competing for the same team so to speak, and one could even use the argument that Christer just wants the best song to represent his country. He would have no right to do this in the contest proper, as it is the big final, with many different competing teams, and he could not be impartial, something that's less vital in MF than in the real contest, and I doubt he'd be stupid enough not to realise this.
September 4, 201014 yr I don't know what I think of Svante stepping down. He's done good things for ESC (Semi's, 50/50), but when we see him during the final saying how much he's enjoyed the show and how the results are ready, his expression doesn't show that he's loved it. Maybe we need some more enthusiasm. I do really like MF, so I wouldn't mind Christer, and I wouldn't mind upping the amount of people allowed on stage, but the other supposed changes are a big NO NO.
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