Jon Ola Sand

{{Infobox person

| name = Jon Ola Sand

| image = JESC 2018. Jon Ola Sand during press conference (2) (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Sand in Minsk, during a press conference for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|12|21|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Oslo, Norway{{cite encyclopedia |editor-last=Øy |editor-first=Nils E. |editor-link=Nils E. Øy |encyclopedia=Pressefolk 1997 |title=Sand, Jon Ola |url=http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2009011600016 |access-date=16 October 2016 |language=no |edition=7th |date=January 1998 |publisher=Institutt for journalistikk |location=Fredrikstad |isbn=8271471759 |page=313 }}

| nationality = Norwegian

| father = Bjørn Sand

| mother = Unni Bernhoft

| relatives = {{plainlist|

Bias Bernhoft (grandfather)
{{Interlanguage link multi|Simen Sand|no|3=Simen Sand}} (brother)}}

| occupation = Television executive

| title = Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest (2011–2020)

| years_active = 1980–present

| website =

}}

Jon Ola Sand ({{IPA|no|ˈjuːn ˈûːlɑ ˈsɑnː}}; born 21 December 1961) is a Norwegian television executive. He was the European Broadcasting Union's Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest from 2011 to 2020.

Personal life

He is the son of revue writer and actor Bjørn Sand and actress Unni Bernhoft. He grew up at Vinderen in Oslo,{{cite news|title=Skal sjefe over neste års Grand Prix|last=Henriksen|first=Arve|date=20 June 2009|work=Aftenposten|page=8|language=no}}{{cite news|title=MGP-generalen|last=Mauno|first=Hanne|date=22 May 2010|work=Dagsavisen|pages=31–33|language=no}} and has a brother and a sister.{{cite journal |editor1-last=Olsen |editor1-first=Bjørnar |editor2-last=Karlsen |editor2-first=Pål Johan |editor2-link=Pål Johan Karlsen |date=July 2010 |title=Psykologer i media |url=http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2013052380004_052 |journal=Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening |publisher=Norsk psykologforening |volume=47 |issue=7 |page=627 |access-date=16 October 2016 |language=no}} His brother, {{Interlanguage link multi|Simen Sand|nn|3=Simen Sand|lt=Simen}}, is an actor and author.{{cite web |url=http://www.filmfront.no/aktor/33850/ |title=Simen Sand |author= |website=Filmfront |access-date=16 October 2016 |language=no}}

As of May 2010, Sand was in a cohabiting relationship with the Swedish choreographer Mattias Carlsson.{{cite news|title="Det är en oro" |last1=Trus |first1=Helena |last2=Gustafsson |first2=Martin |url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/melodifestivalen/article12324697.ab |newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=27 May 2010 |accessdate=17 October 2016 |language=sv }}{{cite news |title=- Svenskene prøver å koke suppe på en spiker |last=Rasch |first=Jonas Sverrisson |url=http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/05/27/kjendis/melodi_grand_prix/eurovision_song_contest/media/11890144/ |newspaper=Dagbladet |date=27 May 2010 |accessdate=17 October 2016 |language=no |archive-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019004538/http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/05/27/kjendis/melodi_grand_prix/eurovision_song_contest/media/11890144/ |url-status=dead }} Sand lives in Geneva, Switzerland.{{cite news|title=Norsk styrman vid rodret |last=Clarén |first=Ulf |url=http://www.sydsvenskan.se/2013-05-04/norsk-styrman-vid-rodret |newspaper=Sydsvenskan|date=4 May 2013 |accessdate=17 October 2016 |language=sv }}

In October 2010, Sand was a passenger on the train that derailed at Skotterud in Hedmark, Norway.{{cite news |title=Passasjer: - Voldsom oppbremsing og et smell |agency=Norwegian News Agency |url=http://www.aftenbladet.no/innenriks/Passasjer----Voldsom-oppbremsing-og-et-smell-388415b.html |newspaper=Stavanger Aftenblad |date=1 October 2010 |accessdate=17 October 2016 |language=no |archive-date=23 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023012922/http://www.aftenbladet.no/innenriks/Passasjer----Voldsom-oppbremsing-og-et-smell-388415b.html |url-status=dead }} The incident resulted in some 40 people being injured.{{cite news|title=Minst 40 personer skadd i togulykke |last1=Kessel |first1=Dag |last2=Kjæstad |first2=Reidar |url=https://www.nrk.no/ho/minst-40-personer-skadd-i-togulykke-1.7317847 |publisher=NRK|date=2 October 2010 |accessdate=17 October 2016 |language=no}}

Career

Sand appeared in a minor role in the 1980 film At dere tør!,{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1060989/ |title=Jon Ola Sand |website=imdb.com|accessdate=16 October 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nb.no/filmografi/show?id=23366 |website=nb.no |title=At dere tør! |language=no |access-date=9 March 2021 }} having graduated the same year from the music branch of his local upper secondary school. As a teenager he played the drums in a hard rock band, which eventually led him being hired by NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation as a researcher for a music TV programme. He started his television career in NRK in 1981, and advanced via programme secretary to producer and project leader, eventually leading major productions and co-productions at NRK. He had a stint in the competing channel TV 2 from 1992 to 1996. Sand is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.{{cite news|title=Sirkusdirektøren |first=Jon Annar |last=Fordal |url=https://www.nrk.no/informasjon/sirkusdirektoren-1.11699743 |publisher=NRK |language=no |date=5 May 2014 |accessdate=18 October 2016}}

Television shows produced or directed by Sand include the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, the Amanda Award show and Melodi Grand Prix.{{cite news|title=Tar over som ny ESC-sjef |first=Inger Marit Knap |last=Sæby |url=https://www.nrk.no/mgp/tar-over-som-ny-esc-sjef-1.7399353 |publisher=NRK|date=26 May 2010 |language=no|accessdate=15 October 2016}}

=Eurovision Song Contest=

File:JESC 2017 opening. Оrganizers оf JESC 2017 on the red carpet.jpg.]]

From 1998 to 2005, he headed the Norwegian delegation at the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2010, Sand was appointed as the Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, held in Oslo, Norway. Sand is a television producer for the Norwegian television channel NRK, which was responsible for holding the festival in 2010, when Sand was the chief of production for the event.

On 26 November 2010, Sand was appointed as the European Broadcasting Union's Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, after Svante Stockselius resigned from the role, the new position began on 1 January 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=22343&_t=Jon+Ola+Sand+new+Executive+Supervisor|title=Jon Ola Sand new Executive Supervisor|last=Siim|first=Jarmo|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|accessdate=26 November 2010}} Sand reportedly edged out 39 other applicants.{{cite news|title=Nordmann skal styre Eurovision Song Contest|date=26 November 2010|agency=Norwegian News Agency |language=no}} As Executive Supervisor, Sand has the last call with regards to the production of the Eurovision Song Contest, with the ability to overrule the producers, and instruct. He is also responsible for the organization of the voting system of the contest. He made his debut as Executive Supervisor at the 2011 contest in Düsseldorf. Sand was later appointed as the Executive Supervisor for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016.{{cite web|title=Malta to host the 14th Junior Eurovision Song Contest!|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=300malta_to_host_the_14th_junior_eurovision_song_contest|website=eurovision.tv|publisher=eurovision|accessdate=13 April 2016|date=13 April 2016}} He had been on leave from NRK since being appointed Executive Supervisor.

In an interview with the news agency Reuters in 2011, Sand launched the idea of extending the Eurovision Song Contest to a potential Worldvision Song Contest.{{cite news|title=Eurovision head says global contest a "challenge" |first=Erik |last=Kirschbaum |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eurovision-idUSTRE74D21I20110516 |publisher=Reuters|date=16 May 2011 |accessdate=15 October 2016}}{{cite news|title=ESC-sjefen ønsker seg verdensfinale |first=Kirsti |last=Falch-Nilsen |url=https://www.nrk.no/mgp/vil-utvide-esc-sirkuset-1.7635988 |publisher=NRK|language=no |date=16 May 2011 |accessdate=15 October 2016}} In May 2015, Sand stated to the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK that the Worldvision idea was likely not moving forward, due to a lack of interest among countries outside Europe. He also cited the large cost of a worldwide song contest.{{cite news|title=ESC-sjefen: Ikke aktuelt med "Worldvision" |first1=Gaute |last1=Zakariassen |first2=Ingvild |last2=Fjelltveit |url=https://www.nrk.no/mgp/esc-sjefen_-ikke-aktuelt-med-_worldvision_-1.12378066 |publisher=NRK |date=26 May 2016 |accessdate=16 October 2016 |language=no }} In a 2016 interview with The Guardian he stated, "We are not looking at a sort of 'Worldvision' because that's too complicated (...)".{{cite news|title=How Eurovision finally cracked America |first=Bella |last=Qvist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/may/12/how-eurovision-finally-cracked-america-justin-timberlake |newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 May 2016 |accessdate=16 October 2016}} Sand stated to Danish media in 2016 that the European Broadcasting Union was instead developing plans to export the Eurovision concept by launching separate versions of the song contest in Asia and the United States, depending on the level of interest in the relevant countries.{{cite news|title=Eurovision vil have resten af verden med til melodifesten |url=http://www.b.dk/kultur/eurovision-vil-have-resten-af-verden-med-til-melodifesten |newspaper=Berlingske|date=12 May 2016 |accessdate=16 October 2016 |language=da }} He was featured in the newspaper Morgenbladet in May 2012, where the focus was on the song contest and international politics.{{cite news|title=Sjefen for sang og storpolitikk |first=Maren Næss |last=Olsen |url=https://morgenbladet.no/samfunn/2012/sjefen_for_sang_og_storpolitikk#.Uq3pHkBIHsI |newspaper=Morgenbladet|language=no|date=16 May 2012 |accessdate=15 October 2016}}

On 30 September 2019, Sand announced his intention to step down as Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest after the 2020 edition, which would have been held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands (which was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). He would also leave the Head of Live Events post which oversees the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Eurovision Young Musicians and Eurovision Choir competitions.{{Cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/jon-ola-sand-to-step-down-as-executive-supervisor-after-rotterdam-2020|title=Jon Ola Sand to step down as Executive Supervisor after Rotterdam 2020|date=30 September 2019|website=Eurovision.tv}} On 20 January 2020, it was announced that Swedish TV producer Martin Österdahl would succeed Sand as Executive Supervisor.{{Cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/martin-osterdahl-new-eurovision-song-contest-executive-supervisor|title=Martin Österdahl new Eurovision Song Contest Executive Supervisor|date=January 20, 2020|website=Eurovision.tv}}

On 17 May 2020, Sand was officially succeeded by Österdahl as Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest after the one-off replacement show Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light was aired. He then returned to NRK, serving as project leader of its head office's relocation.{{Cite web |last=Fenne |first=Marit Holmquist |date=2019-09-30 |title=Jon Ola Sand tilbake i NRK |url=https://www.nrk.no/presse/jon-ola-sand-tilbake-i-nrk-1.14723013 |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=NRK |language=no}}