How a new format changed the face of Eurovision forever
In short: In 2004, the Eurovision Song Contest underwent a massive structural shift. To accommodate a growing number of interested nations, the organizers introduced a semi-final, ending a long-standing relegation system. This expansion led to a record-breaking field of thirty-six participating countries and a completely new way for Europe to vote.
The 2004 contest, held at Istanbul's Abdi İpekçi Arena, marked a turning point for the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). For the first time, the event was split into two days: a semi-final on 12 May and a grand final on 15 May. This new format was designed to accommodate the increasing number of countries wishing to participate, moving away from the relegation rules that had been standard since 1994.
The expansion brought thirty-six broadcasters to the stage, surpassing the previous record of twenty-six. Newcomers included Albania, Andorra, Belarus, and Serbia and Montenegro, while Monaco returned after a 25-year absence. However, the growth was not without friction; Luxembourg was forced to withdraw due to financial disputes with the EBU, and Hungary ultimately did not participate despite intending to return.
The competition's scoring dynamics also shifted. Due to the larger number of participants, 2004 was the first year a non-winning entry scored over 200 points. In fact, the top three songs all surpassed this threshold. The winner was Ukraine, represented by Ruslana with the song 'Wild Dances,' marking the nation's first victory just one year after its 2003 debut.
Technological and political nuances also surfaced. This was the first year that all 36 participating countries used public phone voting for the final. However, technical issues in Monaco and Croatia required a back-up jury for the semi-final, and a commercial error in Turkey caused viewers to miss the Slovenian entry. Additionally, the voting order was determined alphabetically by each country's ISO two-letter code.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Eurovision Song Contest 2004
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