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THREAD: assessing the UKs attitude to Eurovision, including locals, fans & the broadcaster
This is probably gonna be done over a few days whilst I continue research but anyway letâs begin 
TOPIC 1: Media & how it fuels Locals behaviour & attitudes 
Starting off with good media coverage. A media site I can praise for covering Eurovision extremely well is @MetroUK. They genuinely produce informative articles on ESC, including National Finals. They explore other countries in ESC, not just the UK https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/03/swedish-eurovision-hopeful-disqualified-faces-criminal-charge-12173786/
This is also pretty positive in terms regarding the UK in Eurovision, evaluating our success and how that we can sort of improve. I donât understand the Turkey comparison but anyway lol. https://theconversation.com/amp/eurovision-uk-quitting-the-song-contest-would-only-be-bad-for-brand-britain-117758
this was a point made in the article that was of interest to me. Of course, a YouGov poll can be deemed as unreliable, and unrepresentative. But itâs ethnocentrism does allow for an insight on what a small population of the country feel towards Eurovision.
what would leaving ESC really achieve? a series of not so good results & people kicking off year after year about the show would just come across as entitled, selfish & in a sense, self righteous. Locals have this superiority complex of âletâs see how they like it when we goâ
A figure I found said we paid ÂŁ310,000 to the EBU in 2012 for Eurovision. Say we take that figure for this decade, why are we paying ÂŁ3.1 MILLION in order to send mediocre entries that, despite us attempting to support them, we all admit later on were really not that great?
Now I could continue on about positive coverage but it is completely drowned out by negative press. The negative press mainly comes from tabloids - tabloids are read by a large portion of the country, are not impartial, and influence peopleâs opinions.
This article is from The Mirror. Letâs all point and laugh. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/time-come-britain-brexit-eurovision-16163727.amp
The main tabloid I want to focus on is The Daily Express. If you think UK locals are ridiculous, you havenât seen the articles on Eurovision from the Daily Express.
Not only do the Express run with the âpoor us, coming last again!â narrative, but it also feeds into the Brexit narrative. Almost all of their Eurovision articles mention Brexit & how it âaffectsâ us.
This was in one of their articles, which is one of the main points of how itâs fuels the view of ESC in the UK, and how it isnât going to change. The United Kingdom is one of the most SUCCESSFUL countries in Eurovision, with 5 wins, 15 second places, & 42 top 10s.
Granted, we havenât done well recently. But itâs nothing to do with luck. Was it luck The Netherlands won? Luck Israel won? Luck that Portugal won? No. It was because they sent songs that were competitive. That stood out & werenât mediocre. ESC isnât anything to do with luck.
The UK has a pattern of sending a certain song. These songs are inspirational - Believe In Me, Youâre Not Alone, Storm, Bigger Than Us. Positive message, but poorly written & produced. We have no right to complain when we do not send modern songs, like Soldi, and then do poorly.
This consistent bashing of a contest in a tabloid that has 770,000 readers (2015), there will surely be an affect on opinions of people in the country
TOPIC 2: The Eurofandom 
This is literally only on the Twitter fandom because the Twitter fandom is the only good branch. ANYWAY. Yes we clown @bbceurovision and laugh about it, but the genuine annoyance from not only UK fans but fans from everywhere about how mediocre we do at Eurovision speaks volumes.
Weâve been suggesting things to the BBC. We have been voicing our opinions on what could change, & what should change, trying to get the BBC to listen to us. One of my absolute faves @CurtyXo did a thread on what the BBC could try & it is a lovely read
https://twitter.com/curtyxo/status/1130083877287026689?s=21 https://twitter.com/curtyleex/status/1130083877287026689
https://twitter.com/curtyxo/status/1130083877287026689?s=21 https://twitter.com/curtyleex/status/1130083877287026689
We are tired, frustrated and annoyed. It feels like we are banging our heads against a brick wall trying to get through. The replies on this visibly show how frustrated everyone is with the BBCs lack of wanting to change. https://twitter.com/bbcthree/status/1225041382097793026?s=21 https://twitter.com/bbcthree/status/1225041382097793026
This frustaration has carried on throughout the months after May. We all felt positive when the BBC announced a collaboration with BMG. That positive energy died when they didnât give us anything after. We are nearing 5 months of silence. Almost half a year, with no rumours
I can only speak for myself, but as a UK fan, it is so disheartening watching National Finals, seeing fans from other countries being genuinely excited about their country, and youâre still sat here waiting for news. Gosh, even Ireland have started teasing their entry.
Iâve had conversations with the legends in the group chat about this situation. All of us share the same opinion that we are hopeful for BMGs involvement, but the deafening silence is frustrating. We just want something, a tweet, a teaser or a reveal. Anything.
group chat about this situation. All of us share the same opinion that we are hopeful for BMGs involvement, but the deafening silence is frustrating. We just want something, a tweet, a teaser or a reveal. Anything.
The opinion of the UK from fans is becoming negative. Not local negative, but being disappointed every single year with our entry does not give us any type of hope whatsoever.
Topic 3: BBC
The BBC are no strangers to Eurovision. 62 years of providing an entry for the UK. Working with all different types of artists, genres & songs. So why, ever since 2009, have they sent mediocre, not thought out, paint by numbers Eurovision entires?
Theyâre one of the biggest contributors to the contests, have a spot in the final, and year on year fail to produce an entry that would do well. We have one of the biggest music industries, multiple artists have offered to do it & the BBC never take them up.
the BBC must also be one of the richest broadcasters in Europe, but they donât utilise the funding that they get for ESC at all. 2017 was the last good attempt at staging. What ever this year was, I want to erase it from my mind and forget it happened. They didnât even try.
Idk if this was planned previously before ESC 2019, but coming last seemed to put a fire into the BBC. This BMG news is genuinely positive, & invoked a positive reaction. The attitude from the BBC seemed to have shifted, with them showing a willing to try.
But what I do want to see this year, is them to stop posting stuff like this. Utilise the account like the @SVTmelfest account is used - give us facts about the entries. Not jokes like this. It will make the broadcaster appear professional & interested. https://twitter.com/bbceurovision/status/1129845989140041729?s=21 https://twitter.com/bbceurovision/status/1129845989140041729
Whatâs depressing is the BBC3 tweet. If you search âBBC Eurovisionâ all the tweets are people who are unhappy with how theyâve made Eurovision out to be a joke AGAIN. The response they got to that Tweet should be evident that we want some level of professionalism & understanding.
https://twitter.com/liv_liv_liv__/status/1225047838041702400?s=21 https://twitter.com/liv_liv_liv__/status/1225047838041702400
The BBC employ people like Scott & Rylan who do seem to be a fans of the show, but then employ people (Jayde) who know NOTHING. Stop contradicting yourself and make sure your presenters are up to date, fans & know what theyâre talking about. Thereâs still room for humour.
Final Topic - LoCAls
The locals genuinely have the most predictable reactions every Eurovision, as summed up by this Tweet.
They like to use these excuses:
- Iraq War
- Brexit
- Europe Hate Us
- Always Come Last
- Always get Nil Points
- Iraq War
- Brexit
- Europe Hate Us
- Always Come Last
- Always get Nil Points
EDUCATION TIME!! Iraq War lasted from March 2003 - December 2011. We didnât do badly in 2003, 2005, 2005, 2007, 2008 or 2010 because of the Iraq War. Itâs because they were genuinely awful. What do you expect when you send Jemini to ESC doing an out of tune performance.
Brexit was voted for in 2016. In those 4 years we have done average. And to come 15th in 2017? A YEAR after? Brexit is NOT TO BLAME! @MikiMunSigra SHOCKING behaviour from u sister x
EUROPE HATE US. No they donât. They really donât. If anything, look at the results for Spain and say again that Europe hate the U.K.
Europe doesnât hate any country.
Europe doesnât hate any country.
We Always Come Last.
We have come last 4 times out of 62 - 2003, 2008, 2010 & 2019.
We have come last 4 times out of 62 - 2003, 2008, 2010 & 2019.
Nil Points - we have had once in 2003. 2003 was 17 years ago. But yeah we get nothing every year.
locals really are the weak point between the BBC and actual fans. The BBC pander to the locals complaining and whining. They donât listen to the constructive feedback actual fans give them. You can be accessible without trying to please.
The UK has listened to jokey comments from Terry & Graham for many years, they see the contest as a joke instead of a contest. They selectively remember acts like Dancing Lasha Tumbai, but not ones like Dance You Off, as these entries donât fit their EuRovIsIoN Is A LaUgH agenda
Locals will refuse to believe Eurovision produces quality music. They do not support the U.K. before the show, during the show, or care after the show. They tune in to be entertained & so they can kick off on Twitter. This year will be flooded with Brex*t, even if we do well.
Local behaviour is exhibited every year, with the occasional xenophobic or racist comment thrown in for the Lols. This also portrays the U.K. in a bad light. But combined with media & broadcaster behaviour, should we be surprised that this is the angle ESC is looked at in the UK?
I also forgot this point for BBC BUT BBC Radio 2 cover Eurovision & do an excellent job, playing different entries & positively talking about the contest. @EscDannyj ty for this point!!
Anyway, I know itâs a long read, so soz. BUT please try and read it. Itâs taken me a while & Iâd appreciate your feedback! Feel free to suggest your own points too
