The Grand Final of Pesma za Evroviziju 2025 recorded its smallest audience in the history of the competition.
Nielsen Serbia and RTS have released detailed viewership data for Pesma za Evroviziju 2025. The Grand Final, held on February 28, was watched by 442,600 viewers, achieving a screen share of 17.1%. On average, 6.8% of Serbia’s total population tuned in to the broadcast.
Compared to last year’s final, RTS lost approximately 213,800 viewers and saw an 8.9 percentage point drop in screen share (in 2024, the final was watched by 656,413 people with a 26.01% screen share). Since the contest’s inception in 2022, this has been the least-watched edition of the final.
Viewership figures for the Pesma za Evroviziju finals are:
- 2022: 568,242 viewers
- 2023: 488,087 viewers
- 2024: 656,413 viewers
This year’s decline in ratings was significantly influenced by an audience boycott of RTS, led by student protesters. The students have criticised the broadcaster for biased reporting on ongoing protests and a lack of balanced coverage. Additionally, for the first time ever, the Grand Final was moved from Saturday to Friday night, which may have also contributed to the lower viewership.
Princ will represent Serbia at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. The country has been drawn to perform in the second half of the second semi-final on May 15.
Image Source: RTS/Gordan Jović | Source: RTS, Evrovizija.rs
Serbia have competed as an independent nation in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2007, and has seen great success in the competition. Their first entry in 2007, “Molitva” by Marija Šerifović, won the contest in Helsinki with 268 points, making Serbia’s debut one of the most successful in Eurovision history. Since then, Serbia finished in the top 10 a further four times, including a 3rd place finish in 2012 with “Nije ljubav stvar” by Željko Joksimović.
