CYPRUS TO HOST JUNIOR EUROVISION
By Jean Christou
Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
May 29 2007
CYPRUS may not be able to get into the Eurovision Song Contest of late,
but CyBC has won the bid to host the Junior Eurovision next year,
it emerged yesterday.
The Steering Group of the Junior Eurovision announced yesterday that
it had accepted the Cypriot offer to host the 2008 song contest,
choosing Cyprus from four countries that had put in an offer.
The location for Junior Eurovision 2008 will be Limassol, but the
venue itself has not been announced. Cyprus has been participating
in the contest since 2003, but in 2005 the Cypriot song was withdrawn
amid accusations of plagiarism.
The final choice for 2008 was between Ukraine and Cyprus. "We received
some high-quality proposals for next year’s 6th Junior Eurovision Song
Contest and after long consideration, the Steering Group decided to
award the honour of hosting next year’s competition to CyBC," said
Steve Deconink-de Boeck, the president of the steering committee.
Junior Eurovision takes place in December, and unlike the Eurovision,
it doesn’t have to take place in the country that wins the contest.
This is to minimise pressure on the young contestants aged between
eight and 15.
This year, the 5th Junior Eurovision will take place in Rotterdam.
Last year, only 15 countries competed in the competition and since
2005 four countries have withdrawn. The largest number that ever
participated was 23. The European Broadcasting Union has promised that
the contest will continue until 2007, but has not made any promises
for 2008, despite having chosen a host country.
Many countries criticise the show given the pressure it puts on the
young children and teens involved.
This year, 18 countries will take part, including debuts from Armenia,
Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Lithuania.
Just as with the Eurovision itself, in every Junior contest so far
Cyprus has given its 12 points to Greece.