Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997

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

Prior to the 1997 contest, {{lang|no|Norsk rikskringkasting|i=no}} (NRK) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Norway 36 times since its first entry in {{escyr|1960}}. It had won the contest on two occasions: in {{esccnty|Norway|y=1985|t=1985}} with the song "La det swinge" performed by Bobbysocks!, and in {{esccnty|Norway|y=1995|t=1995}} with the song "Nocturne" performed by Secret Garden.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-country/country?country=21|title=Norway Country Profile|publisher=EBU|access-date=9 November 2014|url-status=dead}} It also had the two distinctions of having finished last in the Eurovision final more than any other country and for having the most nul points (zero points) in the contest, the latter being a record the nation shared together with {{esccnty|Austria}}. It had finished last seven times and had failed to score a point during four contests.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, NRK organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster has traditionally organised the national final {{lang|no|Melodi Grand Prix|i=no}} to select its entry for the contest in all but one of its participation. NRK organized of Melodi Grand Prix 1997 in order to select its 1997 entry.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

File:TorEndresen.jpg

{{lang|no|Melodi Grand Prix|i=no}} 1997 was the 36th edition of the national final {{lang|no|Melodi Grand Prix|i=no}} and was organised by NRK to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1997. Eight songs, selected for the competition by a three-member jury panel from 350 received submissions, competed during the final which was televised on NRK1 on 8 February 1997 and hosted by Tande-P.{{Cite news |date=1992-02-07 |title=8. Februar |url=https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_sarpsborgarbeiderblad_null_null_19970207_68_32_1 |access-date=2024-05-20 |work=Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad |page=35 |language=no}} A live orchestra conducted by Geir Langslet accompanied each performance in varying capacities and the combination of votes from public televoting (60%) and an expert jury (40%) led to the victory of "San Francisco" performed by Tor Endresen.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} The jury consisted of H.C. Andersen (NRK P3 radio host), Elisabeth Andreassen (singer), Kari Gjærum (singer), Ole Evenrud (producer), Leif Erik Forberg (TV3 presenter) and Frode Viken (composer).{{Cite AV media |url=https://tv.nrk.no/serie/melodi-grand-prix-tv/1997/FKUN07000197 |title=Melodi Grand Prix 1997 - norsk finale |date=2023-01-13 |language=nb-NO |access-date=2024-05-20 |via=tv.nrk.no}} The national final was watched by 1.308 million viewers in Norway.{{Cite news |last=Brunmark |first=Kristine |date=1997-02-11 |title=Nedover med GP |work=Verdens Gang |language=no}}

70,000 votes were registered by the televote during the show, however Telenor later revealed that at least 400,000 additional votes were unable to be registered due to technical issues, which led to strong dissatisfaction from viewers that failed to cast their votes during the 15-minute window.{{Cite news |date=1997-02-09 |title=Endelig, Tor! |url=https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_verdensgang_null_null_19970209_1_39_1 |access-date=2024-05-20 |work=Verdens Gang |page= |language=no}} There was also criticism of Tor Endresen's victory as several of the jury members were friends of Endresen; Elisabeth Andreassen told the press that "Endresen deserved to win" regardless of what song he participated with.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

File:3_Arena_Front.JPG in Dublin, Ireland, on 3 May 1997.]]

According to Eurovision rules, the twenty-four countries which had obtained the highest average number of points over the last four contests competed in the final on 3 May 1997.{{cite web |title=Rules of the Eurovision Song Contest (Part 1) |url=http://events.rte.ie/eurovision97/Facts/rules.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990202163833/http://events.rte.ie/eurovision97/Facts/rules.html |archive-date=2 February 1999 |access-date=29 June 2022 |publisher=Radió Telefís Éireann}} On 28 November 1996, an allocation draw was held which determined the running order and Norway was set to perform in position 3, following the entry from {{esccnty|Turkey|y=1997}} and before the entry from {{esccnty|Austria|y=1997}}. The Norwegian conductor at the contest was Geir Langslet,{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} and Norway finished in twenty-fourth (joint-last) place failing to score any points.{{cite web |title=Final of Dublin 1997 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1997/final |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414084557/https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1997/final |archive-date=14 April 2021 |access-date=14 April 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}

In Norway, the contest was broadcast on NRK1 with commentary by Jostein Pedersen as well as broadcast via radio on NRK P1 with commentary by Kristian Lindeman.{{cite news |date=3 May 1997 |title=Radio- og TV-Programmene – Lørdag 3. mai 1997 |trans-title=Radio and TV Programmes – Saturday 3 May 1997 |url=https://www.nb.no/items/6653b574b596b9486c48397ca1865ef1?page=37 |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=Moss Dagblad |pages=38–40 |language=no |via=National Library of Norway}}{{cite web |date=3 May 1997 |title=Norgeskanalen NRK P1 – Kjøreplan lørdag 3. mai 1997 |trans-title=The Norwegian channel NRK P1 – Schedule Saturday 3 May 1997 |url=https://www.nb.no/nbsok/nb/32d07e675d7faf79b3f84d3b184b632c |access-date=20 June 2022 |publisher=NRK |pages=16–17 |language=no |via=National Library of Norway}} {{subscription or libraries}} NRK appointed Ragnhild Sælthun Fjørtoft as its spokesperson to announce the Norwegian votes during the show.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

Norway did not receive any points at the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to {{esccnty|France|y=1997}} in the contest, with the full breakdown of points awarded by Norway displayed below.

{{reflist}}

{{Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 1997}}

1997

Category:Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997

Eurovision

Eurovision