Eurovision is and is supposed to be entertainment and a music competition in which there is no room for politics.
It should be but politics these days such a large part in life and so effectively is part of life in all aspects. To say an event should be politics free is unrealistic, when it should not be.
It is one thing to say Eurovision is none political, but these days it is impossible to be.
It should be solely on the entertainment value and musical content which was and still should be Eurovision. However, it is clear for years that there has always been a political element with which countries are included and those not. The political element of the respective entries and voting.
Music has for years been political and been part of life. In many aspects life includes politics, especially in these days when there is a range of news covered and more easily covered, so people are more easily able to become more politically influenced. To deny this is not facing reality and life is reality in all its facets, rightly or wrongly. To believe or assume otherwise is akin to ‘King Canute’ and masking reality.
Music for years has been a voice of protest as in many respects it is a media of youth and other age ranges, of Society and life in general. It is also a means to enact change for it is a ready process available to the masses in which other forms of media are not so readily inclusive or open to be inclusive. The ‘protest’ songs are not only songs of old, but of the present and maybe the future.
For Eurovision to not respect and understand this is a failure although most likely done with the best of intentions, but in reality flying in the face of life. Whether we like it or not political influence is in every one of us to varying degrees.
Eurovision banned Russia and Belarus for politics to be not included, but by not being included it was politically influenced as it would have been if included. This is because whatever what is hoped for others will bring in politics and the organisers are also by deciding who can be included or not.
This is the eligibility rules for Eurovision inclusion
“Participation in the contest is primarily open to all broadcasters with active EBU membership. To become an active member of the EBU, a broadcaster has to be from a country which is covered by the European Broadcasting Area or a member state of the Council of Europe.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest#:~:text=Participation%20in%20the%20contest%20is,of%20the%20Council%20of%20Europe.
So to believe it is only open to countries geographically in Europe is wrong as with the internet could not the EBA coverage be Worldwide.
So the not being political is incorrect no matter the wish to be nonpolitical.
Events in the world matter as policies of isolation are being unrealistic as any major events are bound to affect all countries eventually no matter whether the countries wish it to or not.
But it is generally not the countries to be blamed for how they are seen to be, but the leaders of countries. So to ban some countries and not others is not how it should be and a more equal ruling needs to be applied.
To some extent it is not fully what the leaders of countries are doing but how it is perceived by other countries so perceived opinions are a factor. So if x country is allowed to enter would this stop a to z countries from entering.
This means it is not just politics but to a large extent financial and commercial factors. Any event is costly to arrange and plan and all the costs should be more than covered by income received and the large part of the income is from advertising, distribution and viewing rights. To make a loss would mean future events would not be viable and the future is as important as the current, with the past used as a guide.
It is about opinions and views but more importantly money for without money nothing is possible.
Don’t we all know that with all the high inflation factors which have been around for a few years and will continue to be in some ways well into the future.
Life is far from free as we all know within our costs incurred in our means to live.
So it would be ideal for Eurovision to be nonpolitical but in reality it is impossible and Eurovision needs to be more honest and realistic.
Not just Eurovision but everyone of us.
Years ago we could hide ourselves away but no longer for life is life and we all live it to varying degrees.
https://www.thejc.com/news/world/israels-eurovision-entry-takes-5th-place-and-12-points-from-the-uk-wp3g1lve?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Email%2005112024&utm_content=Daily%20Email%2005112024+CID_4fd6e5ef4654e9196ed7e2cd04c392c0&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Israels%20Eurovision%20entry%20takes%205th%20place%20and%2012%20points%20from%20the%20UK