Yle, the Finnish broadcaster, has ruled out participating in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2024 due to cost.
Finland is for now ruling out participating in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2024 due to financial reasons. Speaking with Eurofestivales, Markku Mastomäki, head of children’s programs at Yle, told the outlet that Finland would not be competing in the contest due to economic reasons.
Yle like broadcasters across Europe is under financial pressure due to inflation over the past two years. This means that Yle does not have the additional funds to use for participation in an event like the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which costs 100,000’s Euros to participate in.
The Finnish public broadcaster sent an observer to the 21st edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Nice, France. Matti Myllyaho who is the Assistant Head of Delegation for Finland at Eurovision, as well as Associate Producer for UMK was in Nice for the contest.
Finland has not shown an interest in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest since the first edition in 2003. In 2003 Yle was one of a number of non-participating countries to broadcast the first contest, but has not aired the contest yet.
However, Yle was a former participant in MGP Nordic, a children’s contest for Nordic broadcasters held during the 2000s. Up until 2021 its Swedish language channel organised an annual song contest for children, MGP Melodi Grand Prix.
Junior Eurovision 2024
Zoé Clauzure from France won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Nice, France with 228 points. She topped both the jury vote and the online vote, bringing France their third victory, and a back-to-back victory following 2022. No announcement has been made yet regarding the country that will host the 2024 contest.
The following countries have however confirmed participation:
It is expected that interested broadcasters will have until late July to confirm their intention to participate in Junior Eurovision 2024.
Image Source: EBU / Corinne Cumming | Source: Eurofestivales
Aw, frick. 🙁 Can you please email the EBU and ask them to bring back a rule that hasn’t been in the format since 2007? All songwriters should be aged 9 to 14.