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The organisation behind the Norwegian Eurovision heat Melodi Grand Prix -the same name as the Danish for round-has announced that there are (again) European juries will decide on the song of Norway for Ukraine.

The final of MGP will take place on Saturday 11 March next year, again from the Hall Oslo Spektrum in the Norwegian capital. Not the Norwegian broadcaster NRK, but does the site Ticketmaster made the date, by the event online. 11 March promises to be a busy, Scandinavian day: on that same evening, also select the Icelanders and the Sweden their entries for Kiev.

About the entries is still no information. However, reform of the voting system: in previous years, the top-4 of the final field every time to a super final, in which Norwegian professional juries and televoting determined the outcome. Next year will be those national juries replaced international juries. In total, ten to twelve countries with something in the pap. Their precise share of the final verdict and the exact voting system, are not yet known.

Criticism

The introduction of foreign juries does though very reminiscent of the Swedish Melodifestivalen, which that principle in 2009 drop by drop began to enter and where the juries now for half the points guarantee. The NRK parries the criticism with two good examples: in the preliminary rounds of 1985 and 1995 European juries were also used, and in both cases the Scandinavian country then also won the Eurovision song contest. First with Bobbysocks, afterwards with Secret Garden.

By the way, the Norwegians in earnest. After falling through the ice in Stockholm and Norway Nisar Ahmad for the first time since the final was not in 2011, is there more pressure put on the organization behind MGP. Project Manager Stig Karlsen let know that ‘ several years ‘ Norway in the Eurovision song contest once again must win. It would then be the fourth win, after the two above-mentioned and Alexander Rybak from 2009.