Extremely striking: Arjen Lubach has been chosen to announce this year’s Eurovision Song Contest song, but that moment will not be broadcast on prime time. “Why?!”
For years, AvroTros has chosen to announce the Eurovision Song Contest song in the seven-hour talk show of NPO 1, but this year a different approach has been chosen with the entry Joost Klein. He will reveal the song in De Avondshow with Arjen Lubach. Next Thursday evening… No, Thursday afternoon.
Last minute?
There will be a special broadcast of the Arjen Lubach show at 4:45 p.m. in the afternoon. That is a time when most TV viewers are far from sitting on the couch.
A very strange choice, writes ratings authority Tina Nijkamp analysis channel. “What a strange story this is. This is a last minute decision. Can’t do anything else. The TV guides and even online still show the repeat of De Avondshow at that time.”
Unbelieveable
It’s unbelievable, Tina thinks. “For something that an entire Eurovision team has been working on for so long, such a last minute decision?! What happened? Didn’t Sophie & Jeroen want to? Had Op1 withdrawn? And why at such a strange and random time? 4:45 pm? When everyone is still working?”
A little later, Tina is told what the true reason would be. “It seems that the ‘official’ story is that AvroTros would like to do it in the afternoon so that all current affairs programs (read: Journaal, RTL Boulevard and Half Acht News) could include it.”
Craziest reason ever
Tina would find that incredible. “That would be the craziest reason ever: making an announcement for the press instead of the viewer, because they are still at work.”
It remains vague, she decides. “It is not known why it is not in the schedule. Wanting to keep it secret cannot be the reason, because why should something so nationally remain secret?”