Rules of Eurovision changed

PanARMENIAN.Net - Organizers of the "Eurovision" song contest have changed the voting rules, press office of the contest reports. Next year, viewers will be able to vote for the participant they liked, throughout the broadcasted competition. Previously they could only vote last 15 minutes after completion of all performances.



New voting rules with the help of SMS-messages and phone calls will be applicable even during the semifinal and final of "Eurovision-2010".



"It is more logical, when you can vote for the performer, yet seeing and hearing his or her song, not after all performances. The experience of several national contests also showed that the increasing time to vote is very effective," the executive director of Eurovision Svante Stockselius said.



Another change in the contest rules relates to responsibility for disclosing information about persons who participated in the voting.



Henceforth, the responsibility for such violation will be imposed to national television companies, translating the song contest. Previously, it was on the conscience of telecommunications service providers.



The decision about the change of responsibility was made after a scandal in Azerbaijan. Then the local prosecutor's office of Azerbaijan summoned for questioning several people who voted for the representatives of Armenia at "Eurovision-2009".

"Eurovision-2010" will be held next May in Oslo.