Selected from the network by Eng. Anelia Dimova, Information Society Policy Expert
In the aftermath of the Second World War, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) was founded with the aim of bringing together public service broadcasters across Europe, strengthening ties between nations, and fostering the exchange of knowledge and expertise.
To support this mission, the EBU established the Euroradio and Eurovision networks, enabling the sharing of programmes, news, and sports content among its member broadcasters.
The Eurovision Song Contest itself emerged from this broader vision as a bold experiment in television broadcasting – a live, simultaneous, transnational spectacle that, while familiar today, was a remarkable technological achievement at the time of its inception.
Eurovision is one of the events that appears on the lists of events of major importance for society in individual countries. According to Article 14(1) of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, which repeats the wording of the Convention on Transfrontier Television, Member States may take measures to ensure that broadcasters under their jurisdiction do not broadcast on an exclusive basis events which are considered to be of major importance for society in such a way as to deprive a significant part of the public in that Member State of the opportunity to follow such events through live or recorded coverage on free television.
Eurovision is the most frequently cited non-sporting event in European countries. It continues to develop and improve to this day.
A new digital Eurovision experience
At the heart of the celebrations is a brand-new Eurovision website and app (eurovision.com), offering fans an enhanced and more interactive experience than ever before.
A major new feature is the Eurodex, a comprehensive archive available on eurovision.com and the official app, featuring results and information from every Eurovision Song Contest across its 70-year history. Fans can browse each year of the Contest and explore its history in depth, bringing seven decades of the world’s largest live music event to life in one place.
Fans can also engage directly with the Contest through My Scoreboard, allowing users to rank their favourite songs from this year’s competition as well as from every edition since 1956 and share their preferences with friends on social media.
Introducing Eurofan: Bringing Fans Closer than Ever Before
A brand-new initiative that recognises the vital role fans have always played in shaping the Contest has also been launched – Eurofan.
Eurofan brings fans closer than ever before, offering exclusive content, ticket opportunities, experiences and collectibles. Crucially, it also creates new ways for fans to make their voice heard through Eurofan Voice, a dedicated fan initiative launching during the Contest period, giving audiences the opportunity to help shape the future of the Eurovision experience.
Eurofan is free to join at www.eurovision.com.
Expanding the Eurovision Song Contest universe
To mark the 70th milestone, the EBU has also launched a new official Eurovision Shop, offering a fresh range of merchandise inspired by the Contest’s iconic legacy and new brand identity launched for the 70th anniversary.
In addition, all Eurovision Song Contest winning performances are now available on the official YouTube channel, made possible with the support of EBU Members. This includes rare and historic footage such as the 1964 winning performance, restored from its archive by Yle in Finland. A global search has also been launched to find complete versions of both the 1964 show and the very first Eurovision Song Contest from 1956, currently missing from any archive.
For the first time in nearly a decade, the Eurovision Song Contest is also streamed live on YouTube in the United States, in addition to every other country worldwide, expanding access to the world’s biggest music market and new audiences worldwide.
Celebrating 70 years of music, culture and technology
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest was hosted by the EBU’s Austrian member, ORF, and featured 35 EBU members. A new publication, “Eurovision Song Contest: Seven Decades of Glitz, Glamour and Unforgettable Performances”, released by BBC Books, offers a definitive look at the Contest’s history, most memorable moments and cultural impact.
Global expansion
Looking to the future, the EBU has also announced the first new cross-continent edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, since its debut in 1956, with Eurovision Song Contest Asia launching in November 2026. Hosted in Bangkok, the inaugural event will bring together broadcasters from across the region, reaching a potential audience of over 600 million people and extending the Contest’s “United by Music” ethos to a new continent.
Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest at the EBU, said:
“As we celebrate 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest, this is a moment to reflect on everything the Contest has achieved – and to look ahead to where it can go next.
“From an archival deep-dive and creating new digital experiences for fans, to expanding the Eurovision brand into new regions and delivering a spectacular show in Vienna, this anniversary is about celebrating the Contest’s unique ability to bring people together across borders and generations.
At the heart of Eurovision is joy – the shared joy of music, performance and communication – and in this landmark year we are proud to celebrate this spirit.
Celebratory shows from EBU Members across Europe
Participating public broadcasters from more than 30 countries are marking the Eurovision Song Contest’s 70th anniversary with a diverse selection of dedicated programming, spanning documentaries, live companion shows, digital formats and special radio broadcasts.
Last but not least, fans and visitors encounter Auri, the official Eurovision 2026 mascot, across the city, appearing at key moments throughout Eurovision week and in wider promotional activities, embodying the Contest’s spirit of creativity, connection and shared experience.
Together, these elements will ensure that the 70th Eurovision Song Contest is not only a world-class television event, but a multi-layered cultural celebration marking 70 years of being United by Music.
Bulgaria’s Dara wins spectacular 70th Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Bangaranga’
DARA has won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 for BNT with the song ‘Bangaranga’, securing Bulgaria’s first-ever Eurovision victory.
Hosted by ORF at the Wiener Stadthalle, the 70th Eurovision Song Contest brought together 25 finalists and millions of viewers worldwide under the theme ‘United by Music’.
Bangaranga, written by Anne Judith Stokke Wik, Darina Yotova, Dimitris Kontopoulos and Monoir, topped the combined jury and public vote.
Votes were received from 148 countries across the participating nations and the Rest of the World, while the anniversary edition also celebrated 70 years of Eurovision with performances from iconic past contestants and major advances in sustainable live broadcast production.
Bulgarian artist DARA has won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Bangaranga‘ as millions around the world celebrated seven decades of being United by Music.
This is Bulgarian broadcaster BNT’s first win in the 70-year-old competition. They first took part in 2005 and returned to the competition this year after three years away.
„Bangaranga‘’s 173 point winning margin is the biggest in the Contest’s history.
The world celebrates music, connection and inclusivity
Martin Green CBE, the EBU’s Director, Eurovision Song Contest, said: ‘Our congratulations go to the fabulous DARA and to BNT, and we wish her every success as the Eurovision Song Contest provides a global springboard for her future career.’
‘The anniversary edition of the world’s largest music show impressively demonstrated what ORF stands for: cultural diversity, openness, and successful collaboration across national borders. Thanks to the excellent cooperation with the city of Vienna, the EBU, the delegations, and numerous partners, the competition was implemented at the highest level – for this, I would like to explicitly express my gratitude.
Public service media at the forefront of live broadcasting technology
The 70th Eurovision Song Contest was, as always, one of the most technically sophisticated live productions in the world.
28 live cameras captured every second in a major production upgrade. The entire setup was based on cinematic ARRI Alexa 35 live cameras, bringing a more filmic look to the Contest than ever before.3,107 lighting fixtures with more than 28,000 individually controllable LEDs were used to make every performance unique. And for the first time ever, the entire lighting rig was fully energy-efficient LED and laser based. The stage used nearly 50 million pixels of LED video and a custom-built 12m x 8m curved “Infinity Screen”. 200 special-effects machines, more than 250 CO₂ bottles and 45 pyrotechnic positions dazzled audiences in the venue and around the world.
The organization of Bulgaria’s hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest next year has already begun
So far, Sofia is the favorite in the race, but it may turn out that the capital will face serious difficulties in meeting the requirements of the European Broadcasting Union. One of the main hurdles will be to fulfill the condition for a neutral name of the hall, untied from commercial companies and brands. Other problems are related to speculation with prices in the host city. The same applies to taxi prices. The main requirement here is to have specially branded taxis for Eurovision, the prices of which are fixed for all those wishing to use them. It is not clear how tourist speculation will be avoided. There are also requirements for accreditation and press, hotel rooms, transport and local traffic.
Sources: