Eurovision Song Contest 2025 kicks off with a spectacular opening ceremony in Basel
Eurovision Song Contest 2025 has begun in Basel - 37 delegations from 37 countries took part in Sunday's event, the Turquoise Carpet ceremony
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EBU unveils new method for announcing Semi-Final 2025 results – how to vote for your favourite songs
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will not only be unusual in terms of its location, Basel, and the diversity of the contestants, but also in terms of the new protocol for announcing the results.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has just officially announced a new visual and dramatic way to make the announcement of the semi-finals more exciting. The new method was unveiled by Martin Green, Head of Production for Eurovision 2025, at a press conference at the St. Jakobshalle media centre in Basel. The aim is to create a more dynamic, transparent and emotionally engaging format that meets modern television broadcasting expectations.
How does the new system work?
The new format follows the new order of the announcement, instead of the usual order of the announcement in previous years:
- the first nine places for the qualifiers are announced using a “split screen” graphic showing three countries;
- three countries are shown on screen at the same time, and then the presenters name only one of them as the official finalist.
- this procedure is repeated nine times – each time there are three more potential runners-up, but only one of them gets the green light immediately;
- the tenth runner-up (the last runner-up with the most votes) will be announced in the usual way, providing the dramatic climax.
The innovation is mainly driven by cinematographic and dramaturgical considerations. According to EBU analyses, feedback from many viewers in recent years has indicated that the camera often did not focus on the country that had actually qualified at the moment of the announcement. This was not only aesthetically distracting, but often reduced the emotional impact of the moment.
In many ways, this approach follows the trends of modern television competition, where the building of tension and the presentation of individual reactions are an integral part of the production value. The new format therefore aims not only at technical but also at emotional optimisation.
How does this change fit into the history of Eurovision?
The technical and dramaturgical format of Eurovision has always evolved:
- in 2004, semi-finals were introduced;
- since 2009, the public and jury votes have been separated;
- since 2016, the visual presentation of votes has been in a separate section, which adds to the tension.
The 2025 innovation is part of this process, but it also reflects more strongly on the visual quality of content on social media. Multiple camera angles, reaction shots and graphic elements combine to create an experience that will remain spectacular and clip-like for the TikTok-Instagram-YouTube generation.
Although the system has not yet made its live debut, initial press comments and social media reactions are mixed. Positives include predictable visuals, more focused emotional moments, and new “mini cliffhanger” announcements. Criticisms are that the new system can bring “artificially generated tension” and take too much time away from the broadcast, especially if the dynamic is slower than a traditional announcement.
However, the EBU insists on the change and stresses that this new system not only adds value to the show, but also shows more respect for the contestants, who are guaranteed to be on screen at the decisive moment.
The reform of the Eurovision 2025 results announcement is another example of how the show is trying to modernise and respond to viewers’ needs. Rethinking the classic format is always risky – but it also offers the opportunity to make the show more memorable. The live broadcasts in May will show how well the new system works in practice – but one thing is certain, Eurovision never stops evolving.
How can we vote in Eurovision 2025? – Detailed guide to public voting
One of the most exciting parts of the Eurovision Song Contest every year is the voting, where the viewers and the professional judges decide the final result. The voting system for the 2025 competition follows the practices of the past years, but is becoming more flexible and widely accessible as technology advances.
Who can vote?
Voting will be open to residents of participating countries, and thanks to a new feature introduced in 2023, it will also be possible to vote from the rest of the world, in a category called “Rest of the World” (RoW). This will allow fans from non-participating countries to vote for their favourite productions.
What are the channels to vote?
1. Official Eurovision application
- The app is available for both iOS and Android.
- Users can vote in-app during the semi-finals and finals, while also being able to follow the scores live, read background information about the artists, lyrics, etc.
- Download here: https://eurovision.tv/app
2. Online voting – esc.vote
- You can vote from anywhere in the world via the esc.vote website (access may vary from country to country, but you cannot vote from a participating country).
- You can vote for more than one song (but you cannot vote for your own country).
- The payment system is usually credit card or mobile payment based, so there is a minimum fee for voting.
How does the voting system work?
On the night of the Grand Final, points will be awarded via two separate channels:
- National professional juries (a panel of five music experts in each country) award 1-8, 10 and 12 points.
- Audience votes are tallied in the same way across countries (aggregated), but their scores are announced afterwards – in a spectacular and suspenseful way.
- However, in the semi-finals, only the public vote will decide which ten countries will make it to the final. This change has been in place since 2023 and is designed to give the public a more direct say in the outcome of the show.
“Rest of the World” – The world votes
For the 2025 edition, the “Rest of the World” voting option will be active again, allowing residents of non-participating countries to vote. These votes will appear in a single aggregated block during the final and will be equivalent to the public vote of a country.
This innovation, while initially divisive, has now become a symbol of the globalisation of Eurovision and has brought a new international focus to the competition. Every year, the EBU ensures the independence and technical security of the voting. Independent auditing firms carry out the counting and verification of the votes. In the event of any anomalies, the EBU reserves the right to cancel or recount the votes.
Source: OurVision International / Eurovision.tv
Illustration: Part of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 stage set – photo by Corinne Cumming (EBU)