Eurovision Song Contest

United by Music

T1956•7.2/10

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7.2/10(36)

The Eurovision Song Contest is an international song competition, organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and featuring participants representing primarily European countries. Each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television and radio, transmitted to national broadcasters via the EBU's Eurovision and Euroradio networks, with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine the winner.

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Production

European Broadcasting Union, LRT

Language

Status

Returning Series

First Aired

May 24, 1956

Last Aired

May 16, 2026

Networks

BBC One, RTÉ One, ORF 1, TF1, Das Erste, ProSieben, SVT1, NRK1, DR1, La 1, Channel 1, Rai 1, RTP1, Channel One, RTS 1, SRF 1, Yle TV1, TRT 1, ETV, BNT 1, LTV1, La Une, NPO 1, RTS Un, RTV 1, EinsFestival, RSI LA1, HRT 1, ERT1, Kan 11, BBC Television, RTV Slovenija, RTK, Suspilne Pershyi, Eurovision, RTS, İctimai TV, RTL

Where to Watch

Region US · Lang EN

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Seasons & Episodes

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Season

Grand Prix of the 1956 Eurovision Song Contest

Air date: 1956-05-24

Inspired by the Italian Sanremo Festival, the idea to organise a pan-European musicial competition was born at a meeting of the European Broadcasting Union in Monaco in 1955. It was decided that the first ever Eurovision Song Contest would be hosted the following year in the Swiss resort of Lugano. The 1956 Eurovision Song Contest was primarily a radio show, although some cameras were taping the contest for the few Europeans who had a television set at that time. Lohengrin Filipello hosted the programme, which lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes. The seven participating countries each submitted two entries. The songs of the contest were not to exceed three and a half minutes, and the performers were accompanied by an orchestra of 24 musicians, led by Fernando Paggi.