(London Post) From this year on, votes cast by professional juries and viewers in each country will be announced separately. Organizers hope that the change will help keep viewers guessing about who has won until the end.
From now on, the presentation of scores will be split between national juries and viewer votes under a system that organizers hope will add more suspense to the big night.Keeping viewers on the edge of their seatsIn a new twist, the highest score of 12 – the competition’s famous “douze points” – won’t be handed out by the juries until the lower points (one to eight and 10) from all countries have been revealed.”This format change will inject a new level of excitement into the finish,” Osterdahl said.Votes from all countries will be combined and announced together after the jury scores, meaning an entry could be awarded hundreds of additional points to claim victory in the show’s final moments.Eurovision voting has long been dogged by controversy, with countries accused of awarding the maximum 12 points to neighbors and allies rather than according to the acts’ musical merits.This year’s contest will be held in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, after Mans Zemerlow won the country its sixth crown last year.
