3 months ago

Dates: Semi-final 1 20 May 2008 - Semi-final 2 22 May 2008 - Final: 24 May 2008
Host venue: Belgrade Arena, Serbia - Presenters: Jovana Janković, Željko Joksimović
Directed by Sven Stojanović - Executive supervisor: Svante Stockselius
Executive producer : Sandra Šuša - Host broadcaster: Radio Television of Serbia (RTS)
Participants: Number of entries: 43 - Number of finalists: 25
Debuting countries: Azerbaijan, San Marino - Returning countries: None - Non-returning countries: Austria

The Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the 53rd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Belgrade, Serbia, following the country's victory at the 2007 contest with the song "Molitva" by Marija Šerifović. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), the contest was held at the Belgrade Arena, and (for the first time) consisted of two semi-finals on 20 and 22 May, and a final on 24 May 2008. The three live shows were presented by Serbian television presenter Jovana Janković and musician Željko Joksimović.

Forty-three countries participated in the contest, the highest ever number of participants in the contest beating the record of forty-two set the year before. Azerbaijan and San Marino participated for the first time, while Austria did not participate, mainly due to questions on the semi-final organisation as well as the politicization of the contest.

The winner was Russia with the song "Believe", performed by Dima Bilan who wrote it with Jim Beanz. Ukraine, Greece, Armenia and Norway rounded out the top five. Armenia achieved their best result to date this year. Of the "Big Four" countries Spain placed the highest, finishing sixteenth, while the United Kingdom ended up in last place for the second time in their Eurovision history, after 2003.

The official website, eurovision.tv, streamed national finals for this year's contest live on ESCTV for the first time. Furthermore, for the first time the winner has been awarded the perpetual glass microphone trophy of the Eurovision Song Contest. The trophy is a handmade piece of sandblasted glass in the shape of a 1950s microphone.

Eligibility for potential participation in the Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active EBU membership capable of receiving the contest via the Eurovision network and broadcasting it live nationwide. The EBU issued an invitation to participate in the contest to all active members. On 21 December 2007, the EBU confirmed that 43 countries would be present in Belgrade. San Marino, as well as the newest EBU member, Azerbaijan, made its debut at the 2008 contest. Austria did not compete; its broadcaster, ORF, said "we've already seen in 2007 that it's not the quality of the song, but the country of origin that determines the decision."

Automatic grand finalists Germany and Spain exercised voting rights at the first semi-final. France, the United Kingdom and Serbia exercised voting rights at the second semi-final. Spain and France each broadcast only the semi-final in which they participated; Germany, Serbia and the UK screened both semi-finals (with Germany broadcasting on a delay). It was announced that the EBU had approved the plan of hosting two semi-finals in 2008.

The second semi-final was held on 22 May 2008. The United Kingdom, France and Serbia voted in this semi-final.

Results of the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
R/O Country Artist Song Points Place
1 Iceland Euroband "This Is My Life" 68 8
2 Sweden Charlotte Perrelli "Hero" 54 12 ‡
3 Turkey Mor ve Ötesi "Deli" 85 7
4 Ukraine Ani Lorak "Shady Lady" 152 1
5 Lithuania Jeronimas Milius "Nomads in the Night" 30 16
6 Albania Olta Boka "Zemrën e lamë peng" 67 9
7 Switzerland Paolo Meneguzzi "Era stupendo" 47 13
8 Czech Republic Tereza Kerndlová "Have Some Fun" 9 18
9 Belarus Ruslan Alehno "Hasta la vista" 27 17
10 Latvia Pirates of the Sea "Wolves of the Sea" 86 6
11 Croatia Kraljevi ulice and 75 Cents "Romanca" 112 4
12 Bulgaria Deep Zone and Balthazar "DJ, Take Me Away" 56 11
13 Denmark Simon Mathew "All Night Long" 112 3
14 Georgia Diana Gurtskaya "Peace Will Come" 107 5
15 Hungary Csézy "Candlelight" 6 19
16 Malta Morena "Vodka" 38 14
17 Cyprus Evdokia Kadi "Femme Fatale" 36 15
18 Macedonia Tamara, Vrčak and Adrijan "Let Me Love You" 64 10
19 Portugal Vânia Fernandes "Senhora do mar (negras águas)" 120 2