Whaaat? Australia to participate in EUROvision?

[Britonisea]

Only a few months until the Eurovision Song Contest is launching in May, but something wrong is going to happen...

The news came in about 3 hours ago (from 6pm UTC). Australia will be participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 for it's 60th edition. Now, when I saw the news, I read it again and again to check if it was a typo but apparently not. Down under comes to Europe it seems. It is a one off, however Australia may be able to defend it's title next year. Also, if Australia wins, they aren't allowed to host the contest.

The other participating countries will be allowed to vote for the Australian entry - who has yet to be selected - however should their act win the contest, next year's show will be held in a European city and Australia will be allowed to defend its title.

Defending their title?

2015 Australia in Europe?

What do you think, is it fair or not? Should the Eurovision Song Contest re-brand?

[Scepez]

I don't think Globevision or Worldvision has the same ring to it.

[The Huskar Social Union]

It stopped being Eurovision when Israel was in it, now this...

Just call it world singing contest one and be done with it.

[Britonisea]

I don't think Globevision or Worldvision has the same ring to it.

I don't think they should be allowed but I love Australia so much.

It stopped being Eurovision when Israel was in it, now this...

Just call it world singing contest one and be done with it.

Lols, they should.

[Shilya]

Oh, hey, let's invite japan next.

How about we found a worldwide contest if the world wants to participate?

[Imperializt Russia]

Australia is a relatively "European" country, culturally.
It's not less "European" than Israel or Russia are, let's face it.

[Scepez]

I don't think Globevision or Worldvision has the same ring to it.

I don't think they should be allowed but I love Australia so much.

It stopped being Eurovision when Israel was in it, now this...

Just call it world singing contest one and be done with it.

Lols, they should.

Everyone with enough ties to Europe could join.
You got some people saying Canada could join the EU, what else would you expect?

[Xiahua (Ancient)]

Don't countries which are technically in Asia, like Israel and Azerbaijan, participate already?

Seems like it's for countries which have some kind of connection to Europe, either geographically or culturally.

That said, I can't imagine Americans or Asians or Sub-Saharan Africans participating. If that happens that it should just be called GEOvision or something.

[Galmarch]

Dont really care, ever since Israel was allowed it stopped being solely a European song contest.
Pretty tired of the whole thing to be honest, just a bunch of neighbouring countries voting for each others.

[Gezi Park]

I'd prefer Japan or China over these Anzacs tbh.

[Insaeldor]

Well it has a relatively European culture. Maybe the USA and Canada might be able to participate in the future.

[Cetacea]

Australia is a relatively "European" country, culturally.
It's not less "European" than Israel or Russia are, let's face it.

Argentina is a relatively European country too, so is South Africa and what about the Phillipines?

[Gezi Park]

Don't countries which are technically in Asia, like Israel and Azerbaijan, participate already?

At the very least they play against French, German etc. teams rather than Indonesian, Malaysian or Papua New Guinean.

Oh, Azerbaijan has territory in Europe. And most of the Israeli population are descended from Europe anyway. And they're not a far cry from the region, which justifies their participation.

[Scepez]

Dont really care, ever since Israel was allowed it stopped being solely a European song contest.
Pretty tired of the whole thing to be honest, just a bunch of neighbouring countries voting for each others.

That's not true, Russia never voted for us .

[Teemant]

I wouldn't call for whole world to participate in eurovision but it's true that eurovision is popular in Canada. There are many Europeans living there as well so it makes a difference.

[Imperializt Russia]

Australia is a relatively "European" country, culturally.
It's not less "European" than Israel or Russia are, let's face it.

Argentina is a relatively European country too, so is South Africa and what about the Phillipines?

Argentina and the Phillipines significantly less so than Australia.
South Africa is pretty debateable to be honest.

It depends, I suppose, on the actual exact criteria that includes Russia and Israel, who were not considered regular competitors in 1992, but were in 1993.

[Gallade]

I'm surprised it took so long, Oz has been prodding for a contest spot for years. No point changing the name, I feel. Unless we're going technical - Europe, Israel, half of Russia and now Australia...vision.

[The Holy Therns]

I'm surprised it took so long, Oz has been prodding for a contest spot for years. No point changing the name, I feel. Unless we're going technical - Europe, Israel, half of Russia and now Australia...vision.

Bunch of Countries-vision.

[Sklavinia]

Australia is a relatively "European" country, culturally.
It's not less "European" than Israel or Russia are, let's face it.

Um, excuse me, Russia is as European as all it's other Slavic brothers. Stop trying to claim we're not European, we're more European than Turks, and yet people always claim they're European and we're not. How exactly are we less European than, say, Belarus, or Ukraine? We're literally all the same people, with similar cultures and linguistics. Western Russia is our homeland, we come from Europe and everything about us is European because we're culturally Slavic. Don't try bringing up that Siberian crap, either. Our culture, language, and ethnicity is dominate in this country. Siberia is Russia, but not Russian.

A much better example would be Morocco and Turkey.

I also oppose the idea of Australia being in Eurovision. Same goes for Israel, Turkey, and Morocco. As well as Tunisia, who decided to show up and then decided not too, and all the other non-European states that have eligibility to show up but haven't yet (that's whats left of North Africa, and Jordan). If we're going to let non-European nations into it, then rename it and just let anybody into it.

Let's call it "Gaiavision". I like the sound of that better than "Worldvision".

[Galmarch]

Dont really care, ever since Israel was allowed it stopped being solely a European song contest.
Pretty tired of the whole thing to be honest, just a bunch of neighbouring countries voting for each others.

That's not true, Russia never voted for us .

Well Balkans and Northern/Eastern Europe are amongst the biggest culprits.
Oh well could be somewhat fun to watch I guess.

[Imperializt Russia]

Australia is a relatively "European" country, culturally.
It's not less "European" than Israel or Russia are, let's face it.

Um, excuse me, Russia is as European as all it's other Slavic brothers. Stop trying to claim we're not European, we're more European than Turks, and yet people always claim they're European and we're not. How exactly are we less European than, say, Belarus, or Ukraine? We're literally all the same people, with similar cultures and linguistics. Western Russia is our homeland, we come from Europe and everything about us is European because we're culturally Slavic. Don't try bringing up that Siberian crap, either. Our culture, language, and ethnicity is dominate in this country. Siberia is Russia, but not Russian.

Uh... That's kind of my point?

[Dejanic]

Australia is basically more European than Russia, Israel, Turkey etc, so I have no problem with them being part of Eurovision.

[Barapam]

This is actually not as strange as it sounds. ESC is not an acronyme for European Song Contest, but for Eurovision Song Contest, and is open for all countries that are part of the Eurovision Broadcasting thingie (the majority of the member nations naturally happen to be European, but that's it). Previous contestants include Marocco and Tunisia, and the show is very popular in Australia, so I have no problems with this.

But to have all countries in the world participate, no thanks. It would be way too impractical to do, and it won't be fun with too many contestants.

[Kaztropol]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_B ... ting_Union

Looks like the USA and Canada, also China and India and Brazil might be able to submit an entry in future, as they're associate members just like Australia is.

[Inyourfaceistan]

Quick everyone to our south, lets make Amerovision and force Canada to pick sides!