Greenland has previously broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest on three occasions but is currently ineligible to participate in the competition.
Greenlandโs public broadcaster Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa has previously broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest, most recently in 2017. The broadcaster was formerly an associate member of the European Broadcasting Union up until 2011, but has since left the organisation.
Singers from Greenland have attempted to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest on two occasions for Denmark. In 197,9 a song in Greenlandic competed in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, Rasmus Lyberth competed with โFaders bรธnโ but finished 11th out of 17 competing entries.
Most recently in 2019, Greenlandic singers Julie & Nina competed in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix with โLeague of Lightโ. Their participation saw viewers in Greenland able to watch and vote in the Danish selection for the first time. They made it through to the Superfinal, finishing 2nd to Leonora. They were however the public favourite but were placed last out of the three superfinalists by the Jury.
Ineligible to Participate
Greenland as an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark is currently ineligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, as it does not meet the rules of the competition. Only countries that are members of the International Telecommunication Union and Council of Europe, can gain full membership of the European Broadcasting Union.
Eurovision participation is not limited to those countries geographically located in Europe (take Australia or Israel as examples). Each Active Member of the European Broadcasting Union (โEBUโ) is eligible to participate in the contest on behalf of their country. The EBU is an alliance of public service media organisations, established in 1950. Currently, the EBU hasย 69 membersย representing 115 organisations in 56 countries. Founding members in 1950 included the BBC in the UK, RTP in Portugal, RTL in Luxembourg and national broadcasters in Turkey and Tunisia.
Active membership of the EBU is for broadcasting organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area (โEBAโ), as defined by the International Telecommunication Union (โITUโ), or are members of the Council of Europe (an international organisation founded in the aftermath of World War 2 to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe).
The EBA is legally defined by the ITU (a special agency of the UN) which, like the EBU, is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The ITU is responsible for international co-operation relating to information and communication technologies and has its origins in the International Telegraph Union established in 1865.
The EBA is defined in the ITUโs Radio Regulations. These regulations regulate the law of international radio-communication services and radio frequencies. Theย 2020 Radio Regulationsย define the EBA as:
The European Broadcasting Area is bounded on the west by the western boundary of Region 1, on the east by the meridian 40ยฐ East of Greenwich and on the south by the parallel 30ยฐ North so as to include the northern part of Saudi Arabia and that part of those countries bordering the Mediterranean within these limits. In addition, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and those parts of the territories of Iraq, Jordan, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey and Ukraine lying outside the above limits are included in the European Broadcasting Area.
This definition of the EBA has developed over the years. The 2004 edition of the regulations did not include Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan as within the EBAโs limits. The amendment to the definition to expressly include those countries allowed the Armenian, Georgian and Azerbaijani broadcasters to join the EBU as active members and to ultimately participate in Eurovision.
During the history of the Eurovision Song Contest and Eurovision family of events over fifty countries have competed, but there are more countries eligible or interested in participating. Find out more here.
Featured Image โ Julia & Nina โ Image Source: DR