More than 1.25 million Norwegians tuned in when state broadcaster NRK aired Norway’s qualifier for the Eurovision Song Contest over the weekend. The show, called Melodi Grand Prix, commanded the highest ratings for the past four years.
The ratings were much higher than the 755,000 who tuned in last year and it may be because NRK slimmed down the entire Eurovision selection process to just the one finale aired on Saturday night. NRK also cited “a good show” and better communication before the show aired.
Project leader Stian Malme of NRK said he was delighted by the ratings, which gave NRK a 69.8 percent market share on Saturday. “That’s formidable, and very good for Norwegian music,” Malme told newspaper Aftenposten.
The duo Mørland & Debrah Scarlett won the finale with Kjetil Mørland’s ballad A Monster Like Me. They will now represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest which will be held in Vienna this year from May 21-23.
newsinenglish.no staff