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"Time to move on!"
Svante Stockselius resigns from Eurovision post
Svante Stockselius stated to eurovision.tv: "When I took this challenge nearly eight years ago, the Eurovision Song Contest was at a crucial cross road. Since then it is has become one of the greatest TV-entertainment events in the world! After the successes of Moscow and Oslo, I decided that now would be a good moment to say farewell, and to give others the opportunity to take the event to the next level."
A lot of changes were introduced ever since Svante took over as Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest for the EBU in 2003: the generic logo, a pan-European sponsor platform and most importantly the semi finals were introduced and we saw the return of the jury vote.
"We have managed to get a fair voting system and I've had the pleasure of working with a great team at the EBU, with the members of the Reference Group, with great teams at over a dozen host broadcasters and with many delegations from over 40 countries," Svante states and continues "after being seen on television by a cumulative number of over one billion people, it is time to move on!"
Jørgen Franck, TV Director ad interim of the EBU, told eurovision.tv: "With the departure of Svante Stockselius we say goodbye to a highly respected colleague, one of Europe's most experienced TV-producers and someone who has his Eurovision heart at the right place. He brought the song contest to where it is today, and deserves credit for the growing appreciation of the brand. We are grateful for his contribution to the Junior- and Eurovision Song Contest and we are looking forward to working with him one more time in Minsk, where the 8th Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place."
Svante's successor will probably be selected before the end of the year.
Related polls
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- Latvia: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Eirodziesma 2012
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Well what exactly did Svante do for the Eurovision Song Contest, let's see.
1, cut the voting time so we only get to hear the 8,10 and 12 points which I think has ruined the excitement of the show.
2, Allowing over 40 countries to vote for 24 or 25 songs.
3, Trying to turn Eurovision into a brand (ie: Junior Eurovision)
4, Sticking to one Eurovision Logo, so we get the same boring one year after year. Let the winning country pick their own one, it's more creative.
5, Only bringing in 50/50 voting because countries like Germany and the UK probably threatened to withdraw.
Did Mr Stock-useless resigned because a 'big 4' win?
Michael UK
I agree he oly cared about money and not the ESC!
But Laila, pleaseee why Iceland didn't give any point to Peter Naltich fro example, he got 12 from Estonia where 30% of population is Russian! 
can bet that some members of jury were Russian as well! Culmination of "unfair" voting this year was Russian example and that's why they booed it!
@Marko
Yes, I know that boos come from stupid, rude people who are hypocrites! They boo on only SOME of the "unfair" voting. And no one, including you, know who mass-vote the most or why people vote at all.
Fair voting would be 1 vote per phone, and only voting the qualified ones.
Laila, I know you are not that naive and you know very well who has voted for Peter Naltich, you even know those booooos from the audience during voting! 
he wont be missed. a fair voting system? well 50/50 was suggested years before he introduced it. voting from the beginning of the show ? just for money , bye bye mr stocks-useless
@Marko
You don't know that those who voted for Russia were mass-voting any more than others were.
Thank you for everything Svante. You have made this contest grow in so many ways with your progressive ideas. I hope Christer Bjorman will take his place because even though I'm not fond of the usual kinds of songs in Melodifestivalen, it is a VERY well-produced show and Christer has expressed many ideas that would be great for Eurovision, such as 8 people on stage, and pre-recorded backing vocals to strengthen the live performance.
Of course I also support acts being allowed to play their instruments live should they so choose, and maybe not ALL backing vocals should be pre-recorded, but vocal effects that cannot be performed properly by a live vocalist (such as France 2008, or Finland 2009!) should ABSOLUTELY be allowed.
Laila
If it was possible to limit the votes to 1-2 per phone number that would be preferable too.
And then bye, bye Peter Naltich from the final! 
Yes, bring back the orchestra!
But some songs would had been funny with orchestra like DJ Take Me Away.
All good music sounds better live/with an orchestra. Live music is best when the talent is there... Even "Fairytale" sounded way better live with an orchestra and live music just makes it all so much more authentic and lifts the contest to a higher, more serious level, putting the focus on the music, I think. If it doesn't sound better it's because they rely too much on generic digital crap when making the song and that kills the real music. Anyway, dance music is possible to do live too, with DJ's, keyboards etc. or something?
I just hope the contest survives for a long time still under the new person to take Svante's place. I also hope they don't change too much rules now other than bringing live music back, lol. If it was possible to limit the votes to 1-2 per phone number that would be preferable too.
I agree that the orchestra should be brought back. It should just be optional however, as some songs (I'm specifically thinking of Dancing Lasha Tumbai here) just would not work with it.
I strongly disagree with bringing back the language rule, though. Does anyone really believe Fairytale and Satellite would have done as well in the international charts if they had been sung in Norwegian and German, respectively?
Well, goodbye Svante, i'll be missing you.. bwuahehe hell no!
After reading some very interesting and insightful comments, I believe that I can put together a list of changes that should be made to our favourite show:
- End the outrageous ban on live music. This will attract talented musicians/singers/authors who otherwise will stay away from ESC;
- One phone = one vote (the last one for example);
- Larger juries: 10 to 15 jurors from different age brackets and musical backgrounds. This implies that the EBU create a set of specific criteria to regulate the selection;
- The jurors should have the power to decide in case of a draw;
- Bring back the language rule (I know that several fans will disagree with this one, however listening to Mihaila’s ‘Say I love You’ – Moldova 10 NF – is just one example of how fake singers can sound when performing in a language other than their own).
I sincerely hope that the next Executive Supervisor will have the nerve to fight for these changes. As Chef d’Orchestre has put it: “After all, this is about MUSIC.”
@ i.a.m.l.t.
what a nonsense !! to bring the 50-50 rule was svantes idea just to make you westerners happy !!
@ chef d'orchestre : i 100% agree with you! i hope that his successor will bring back a REAL musical aspect for the ESC instead of supermarket music from 1999 and of scenic tricks from 2004 !
I think a live band would be the most sensible thing to do, because i think it's one of the main things that could attract more european talents who don't work with supermarket music!!
Good ridance to Stockselius!
He was bias with East Europe and hated the West! He let East Europe to get away with voting for their neghbours and ignoring West Europe songs.
i found out who scary eyes woman is
Kati Varblane
my money is on her
HELLO EVERY ONE I AM MR BEAN THANK GOD HES GONE
LESS HOPE 2011 BETTER THAN 2010 UK IRELAND HAS TOTAL HAD BAD SONGS WIN SONG TOTAL SHIT DONT LIKE LENA AT ALL
WHOS CARES EUROVISION ITS NOW A JOKE
@rosst
relax man !! wea know that norways organization was bad , but do not exaggerate , it wasnt as bad as you prattle !!
I agree I hated him thought he was a lacklustre person.
Thought the 2010 ESC was brilliant dop not understand how anyone could say otherwise.
BRING BACK THE ORCHESTRA
Share that horrible moment didn't work quite wel for ESC
Zohar ... [10195]
you call that 'oh yet another hangover' and over swolen face - a 'over corporate PC style'
What's the name of the company your work for?///
What i couldn't stand about him was his over corporate PC style. Especially in Press Confrences when he used to say so much baiscally saying nothing at all, answering everything as a lawyer, and giving the mis-interpretation that everything is perfect ! Or else his refernce group really is living in it's arrogant corporate world.
Did anybody ever read the silly Ask Svante page at eurovision.tv site ? Come on, it is so clear reading thos questions & answers that they were simply self-dictated.
Finally, in his honor, I have no doubt that Svante really cared about eurovision, and really did try his best to balance content with a television production, understanding the whole picture (many things we as fans can't take into account). No one is exempted from mistakes, and nobody died from any of these mistakes. I'm not even sure if it's a good thing that he is leaving, but maybe he simple feels that eurovision needs a more radical change, like most things in life 
What's with the negative comments here?
I'd say good luck to him in the future.
@Stockholm calling:
Agreed.
He have been an importent and a magnificent part of the behind-scene ESC. It's sad But life goes on, I suppose. I really want give Svante some kudos alone for this, but unluckily he have to share it - With Rost! 
ROFLMAO with all this, haha!
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