Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004

{{main|Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

On 21 February 2003, the Belarusian national broadcaster, the Belarusian Television and Radio Company (BTRC), confirmed its intentions to debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in its {{escyr|2004||2004 edition}}, after broadcasting both 2002 and 2003 editions.{{Cite web |date=12 February 2003 |title=БЕЛТЕЛЕРАДИОКОМПАНИЯ ЗАНИМАЕТСЯ ПОДГОТОВКОЙ ОТБОРА ПЕСНИ, КОТОРАЯ БУДЕТ ПРЕДСТАВЛЯТЬ НАШУ СТРАНУ НА КОНКУРСЕ ПЕСНИ «ЕВРОВИДЕНИЕ» В 2004 ГОДУ |url=https://afn.by/news/i/26317 |access-date=13 September 2022 |website=afn.by |language=ru}}{{cite web | url=https://nestor.minsk.by/mg/2006/20/mg62006.html | title=Семь Дней Истории Белорусского Рок-Н-Ролла }} The broadcaster had previously planned to debut at the contest in 1993 and 2003; the latter year it was unable to take part after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided that too many countries would be relegated from participation in 2003 if more countries took part.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2020|p=131}}{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/747|title=No new countries at next Eurovision Song Contest|last=Bakker|first=Sietse|date=2002-11-27|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2009-07-23}} BTRC organised a national final in order to choose its debut entry for the 2004 contest.{{Cite web |last=Opheim |first=Bjørn Erik |date=21 February 2003 |title=Newcomer nations prepare for Eurovision 2004 |url=https://esctoday.com/1305/newcomer_nations_prepare_for_eurovision_2004-2/ |access-date=13 September 2022 |website=Esctoday}}

Evrovidenie 2004 was the national final format developed by BTRC to select the Belarusian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. Fifteen songs participated in the competition on 31 January 2004 and the winner was selected exclusively via a public vote. The show was broadcast on the First Channel and Radius FM.

Artists and composers were able to submit their applications and entries to the broadcaster between 22 October 2003 and 14 December 2003. Songs could be performed in any language, however, a translation of the lyrics to English and Belarusian/Russian were required, and at least part of the song had to be performed in English.{{Cite web |title=Rules and Regulations |url=http://belarus.esckaz.com/rules.htm |website=ESCKAZ}} At the closing of the deadline, 200 entries were received by the broadcaster, of which 59 were valid.{{Cite web |last=Górecki |first=Kamil |date=28 December 2003 |title=The list of all Belarussian finalist released |url=https://esctoday.com/2017/the_list_of_all_belarussian_finalist_released/ |access-date=13 September 2022 |website=Esctoday}}{{Cite web |date= |title=Press release |url=http://belarus.esckaz.com/rel.htm |website=ESCKAZ}} A jury panel was tasked with selecting fifteen entries to proceed to the televised national final. The jury consisted of Vladimir Maksimkov (general producer of the First Channel), Yuriy Tsarev (head of the radio station "Radius FM"), Leonid Zakhlevny (composer, artistic director of the ensemble Byasyeda), Viktor Babarikin (chief conductor of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus), Eduard Zaritsky (composer), Vladimir Ivanov (composer), Vasily Rainchik (composer), Raisa Baravikova (editor-in-chief of the magazine "Maladost"), Alexander Tikhanovich (singer, director of music programs of the TV channel STV) and Yuriy Igrusha (general producer of the TV channel ONT).{{Cite web |title=СОСТАВ ЖЮРИ (национального конкурса песни "Евровидение-2004") |url=http://www.tvr.by/rus/konkurs.asp |access-date=13 September 2022 |website=BTRC |language=ru |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031206023042/http://www.tvr.by/rus/konkurs.asp |archive-date=6 December 2003 |url-status=dead}} The selected finalists were announced on 31 December 2003.{{Cite web |last=van Gorp |first=Edwin |date=31 December 2003 |title=15 songs in Belarussian national final |url=https://esctoday.com/2023/15_songs_in_belarussian_national_final/ |access-date=13 September 2022 |website=Esctoday}} On 4 January 2004, BTRC announced that "Kali chakra, a i luz" performed by Jur'ya had been disqualified from the national final due to the band not signing the contract for participation. They were replaced with the song "People Say" performed by Adelina Petrosyan.{{Cite web |title=List of Belarus 15 finalists announced |url=http://belarus.esckaz.com/listen.htm |website=ESCKAZ}}

The televised final took place on 31 January 2004 at the BTRC studios in Minsk, hosted by Larisa Gribaleva and Ales Kruglyakov. Prior to the competition, a draw for the running order took place on 22 January 2004.{{Cite web|title=Drawing Ceremony|url=http://belarus.esckaz.com/draw.htm|website=ESCKAZ}} The performances of the competing entries were filmed on 23 January 2004, and the majority were performed in English despite their Russian titles.{{Cite web |last=van Gorp |first=Edwin |date=31 January 2004 |title=First Belarussian final tonight |url=http://esctoday.com/2158/first_belarussian_final_tonight/ |website=Esctoday}} A public vote consisting of televoting and online voting selected the song "Moy galiley" performed by Aleksandra and Konstantin as the winner.

The Belarusian national final caused controversy due to accusations of vote rigging. In addition to the collapse of the online voting platform due to high influx, figures provided by communications company Beltelecom revealed that Natalia Podolskaya was the actual winner with 14,506 votes while Aleksandra and Konstantin only placed third with 2,260 votes. Beltelecom later clarified that the official results from BTRC were based on votes received from another company as they did not directly provide the broadcaster with services for conducting the voting. Podolskaya's father stated that he would be filling a lawsuit to nullify the voting results.{{Cite web |date=10 May 2004 |title=Кто победил на белорусском "Евровидении"? |url=https://ultra-music.com/news/86 |access-date=13 September 2022 |website=ultra-music.com |language=ru}}

It was announced that the competition's format would be expanded to include a semi-final in 2004. According to the rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country, the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the ten highest placed finishers in the 2003 contest are required to qualify from the semi-final on 12 May 2004 in order to compete for the final on 15 May 2004; the top ten countries from the semi-final progress to the final. On 23 March 2004, a special allocation draw was held which determined the running order for the semi-final and Belarus was set to perform in position 2, following the entry from {{esccnty|Finland|y=2004}} and before the entry from {{esccnty|Switzerland|y=2004}}.{{Cite web |last=Bakker |first=Sietse |date=23 March 2004 |title=Eurovision 2004: this is the running order! |url=http://esctoday.com/2382/eurovision_2004_this_is_the_running_order/ |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=Esctoday}} At the end of the semi-final, Belarus was not announced among the top 10 entries in the semi-final and therefore failed to qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Belarus placed nineteenth in the semi-final, receiving a total of 10 points.{{cite web |title=Semi-Final of Istanbul 2004 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/semi-final |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418181716/https://eurovision.tv/event/istanbul-2004/semi-final |archive-date=18 April 2021 |access-date=18 April 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}

The semi-final and the final were broadcast in Belarus on the First Channel with commentary by Ales Kruglyakov. BTRC appointed Denis Kurian as its spokesperson to announce the results of the Belarusian televote during the final. Following the release of the televoting figures by the EBU after the conclusion of the competition, it was revealed that a total of 29,941 televotes were cast in Belarus during the two shows: 13,737 votes during the semi-final and 16,204 votes during the final.{{Cite web |date= |title=Press Release - Record numbers for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040609225232/http://www.eurovision.tv/english/1182.htm |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=eurovision.tv}}

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Belarus and awarded by Belarus in the semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Ukraine in the semi-final and to Russia in the final of the contest.

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• {{cite book |last=Roxburgh |first=Gordon |title=Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest |date=2020 |publisher=Telos Publishing |location=Prestatyn |isbn=978-1-84583-163-9 |volume=Four: The 1990s }}

{{Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 2004}}

2004

Category:Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004

Eurovision