Spanish broadcasters have risked incurring a substantial penalty after flouting Eurovision Song Contest rules. Spain’s entry featured singer Melody with a catchy number that captivated European audiences. Nonetheless, despite the song’s popularity, Spanish outlets neglected cautions from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
A bold statement was broadcast before the grand finale; viewers saw a stark black screen donning white lettering in both Spanish and English. The displayed proclamation stated: “When human rights are at stake, silence is not an option. Peace and Justice for Palestine.” The powerful message lingered on the screen for 16 seconds. RTVE – Spain’s answer to the BBC – went further by sharing the broadcast on X where it swiftly spiralled into virality thanks to social media engagement.
Tensions were running high during the live event, with pro-Palestine campaigners protesting against Israel‘s participation in the contest. Further tumult ensued following Israel‘s turn on stage.
Amidst the audience’s polarised reactions to Israel‘s entry, as Yuval Raphael expressed gratitude post-performance, UK commentator Graham Norton couldn’t resist making a comment about the reaction to the country in the Basel arena. Comedian Graham remarked to UK viewers, “I’m not sure what you’re hearing at home, but it was a mixed response.”
His candid comment came after the Eurovision Song Contest faced criticism for allegedly masking the audience’s booing of a contentious entrant with artificial applause.
According to reports, the competition’s organisers opted to mute the booing from the arena, particularly after the rehearsal performance of New Day Will Rise on Friday night. In response to the controversy surrounding crowd noise, a statement was issued: “For the Eurovision Song Contest, the host broadcaster SRG SSR is working with the ‘audio sweetening’ method, which is common practice for major international productions.
“This process helps to harmonise the sound of the transitions between moderations, video clips and the individual acts and to create a consistent soundscape for the TV audience. It is used exclusively for the technical rounding off of the programme. This process is used equally and identically for all acts. The competition and its results are not affected in any way.”
The mixed response was swiftly picked up on by viewers at home, who took to social media to share their thoughts after the broadcast. During the Israeli performance, an incident occurred in which a man and a woman attempted to storm the stage.