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Event Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest Sietse Bakker: â€œI am sure that the 2012 contest in Baku will leave viewers, guests and crew many good memoriesâ€ â€“ EXCLUSIVE â€“ INTERVIEW

26 December 2011 08:14 (UTC +04:00)

â€œIt is our duty to keep the Eurovision Song Contest free from politics and bring people together, rather than focusing on what keeps them dividedâ€

Baku. Ulker Gasimova â€“ APA. Event Supervisor of the â€œEurovision Song Contestâ€ Sietse Bakker gave an exclusive interview to APA. He spoke about Azerbaijanâ€™s preparation to the contest, as well as the various organizational and global issues.

- How do you estimate Azerbaijanâ€™s preparation to the â€œEurovision Song Contest 2012"?

- Ictimai TV is on schedule with all preparations. Thanks to the combination of a skilled and dedicated local team at the broadcaster and extensive expertise from the production company Brainpool, we see a fantastic edition of the Eurovision Song Contest emerging.

â€œWe will not take a decision on three proposed venues for â€œESC-2012â€
- You have been several times in our capital city, on various meetings and what were your first impressions about Baku?

- Baku is a very interesting city, showing the legacy of an ancient culture, combined with Soviet influences and highly modern architecture. It is a vibrant city in development, full of hospitable people.

- Here are just 5 month left for ESC-2012 , but the Arena where the show will be held, not yet confirmed. We know that, 3 places have been presented to EBU to be selected as an Arena. Does this issue trouble EBU?

- We are following the progress of the venue at the Flag Pole, which is under construction. We will not take a decision until the end of January. Although it is challenging to work with three different scenarios at this stage, everyone involved is highly professional and consequently, it does not bother anyone.

- As I said, 3 places to hold the show were presented to EBU for ESC-2012. In which of them EBU is more interested?

- Each place has its pros and cons. While the Heydar Aliyev Sports & Concert Complex has a proven track record of hosting events, the football stadium is much bigger in terms of floor area and audience capacity. The newly built venue would facilitate all modern needs, but at the same time it has never been tested.

- Which issues were discussed at the last meeting held in Baku and what was the result?

- During the last meeting, we discussed in detail the security requirements during the Eurovision Song Contest. Ictimai TV also presented their promotion plans for the contest. We were very satisfied with the result of the meeting and look forward to returning in late January to evaluate the organizersâ€™ progress.

â€œI am sure that details about ticket sales will become known shortly after the venue has been confirmedâ€
- Usually, the date for "Eurovisionâ€ show tickets to be in sale, is fixed at the end of the year. Has ESC already fixed that date? Are any changes in price expected?

- In fact, ticket sales usually start between late-December and late-February. I am sure that details about ticket sales will become known shortly after the venue has been confirmed.
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- On various European TV channels it has been emphasized that Azerbaijan has spent and continues spending a great deal of money on preparation of the â€œEurovision-2012. Even the value is reputed to be over a billon. What do you think about all of that?

- These reports are based on speculation and wild guessing. Usually, the budget of the Eurovision Song Contest is between 22 and 35 million euros, highly depending on local circumstances in each respective host city. It is too early to announce details on the budget of the 2012 contest. But the Eurovision Song Contest doesnâ€™t only cost. Participation rights (through the EBU), sponsorship agreements, televoting and ticket sales are sources for income and the revenue it generates for local businesses, such as hotels, restaurants, taxi companies and vendors are notable. Independent experts estimated that the value of hosting the contest in Oslo and DÃ¼sseldorf, including promotional value, even exceeds 100 million euros.

- As a event supervisor of ESC, how do you imagine the 57-th Eurovision Song Contest? What could you advice to Azerbaijan on the point of organizing a high level contest?

- I am confident that Ictimai TV, through good cooperation with its local and international partners, will show Europe the best they have to offer. It will first and foremost be an introduction to Azerbaijan and Baku for the people of Europe, who generally have little knowledge of it. For the people of Azerbaijan, it is an opportunity to introduce themselves to the rest of Europe, and to show them what they have to offer, what they stand for and what they are proud of.

- During these years, which host country and which ESC was engraved in your memory and what you expect from Azerbaijan?

- Each and every edition of the Eurovision Song Contest has its particularities and I am sure that the 2012 contest in Baku will leave viewers, guests and crew many good memories. What I am personally most looking forward to, is to see the enthusiasm of a young generation in your country, in backing this contest and contributing to an unforgettable spirit for thousands of foreign guests and millions of viewers from across Europe and around the world.

- This yearâ€™s "Junior Eurovision" contest was held in Armenia. Were you satisfied with the organization of the competition?

- We had a fantastic show on the 3rd of December. Although the Junior Eurovision Song Contest is a much smaller event, it comes with the same challenges and requires the same ingredients as the grown-ups contest. It is great to see that despite the challenges of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations, the Eurovision spirit is high throughout the Caucasus.

- As far as you know the ESC is not a political contest, but the EBU is aware that the serious political conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia are available. Armenia has occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijanâ€™s lands. Have you any information about â€œNagorno-Karabakhâ€ problem?

- We are of course aware of the various conflicts between some European countries, not only this particular one. It is our duty to keep the Eurovision Song Contest free from politics and bring people together, rather than focusing on what keeps them divided.

â€œSome delegations have specific requests in regards to security, but not to jeopardize security itselfâ€
-In order to participate in the contest held in Azerbaijan, Armenia has required the special security guarantee from EBU . Is EBU thinking to take this step? We know that the host countries ensure the security of all the representative countries, but this guarantee is not enough for Armenia.

- Security is a responsibility of the Host Broadcaster, in close cooperation with the respective authorities. The commitment we have received from your prime minister in this regard applies to all participating delegations. Some delegations have specific requests in regards to security, but not to jeopardize security itself, I will not go further into that. As of yet, we cannot confirm Armenians participation yet, since the official list of participants will only be revealed in early January.

- Besides Arena , â€œEuroClubâ€,- the one of ESC â€˜s main parts, is not also determined yet. Have there been any negotiations on this point?
- That topic has not reached the table yet, but I am sure that the Ictimai TV team is looking into the matter.

- Some partners have already been selected for the competition held in 2012. Is any more expected to join the list of the partners? By which country will be realized a video-shooting of the show? Does ESC think about any changes for ESC 2012?

- Several more partners will join the project along the way. Currently, no significant changes in the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest are expected for 2012.

- As far as I know, this year EBU has required all representative countries to hold the national selection. What did force EBU to take this step?

- We believe that when an artist is chosen to represent his or her country, he or she should have some form of public mandate through a democratic process. The least one can do is give the public a say in either the artist, or the song, or both. This was decided already in 2010. We also believe a strong national selection is the foundation of domestic Eurovision Song Contest success. The exact conditions under which this rule will be implemented have not been decided yet and will only apply from 2013 onwards.

- How many countries are expected to attend ESC 2012 and how many people are expected to come to Baku?

- We expect around 40 countries to be represented. The final list of represented countries will be announced in early January. We expect thousands of people from across Europe and the world to join the event as delegates, media representatives and of course fans!