[ewanspence]

Spotted the question at the end of last week on Facebook, suggesting that the BBC can use the money from a phone vote to pay for a National Final... but how much do these phone votes around Eurovision actually make the BBC?

Who'd like some numbers and reasoning?

If the smaller programming budgets at the BBC may prevent a 'Song for Europe' style show to select the UK's Eurovision 2013 song, "why not use the money from the phone vote to pay for the National Final?" Time to break out the ESC Insight calculators to see if this really is an option.

ESC Insight: Can Phone Votes Cover The Cost Of The BBC’s National Final?

[Quizmike]

Originally Posted by ewanspence

Spotted the question at the end of last week on Facebook, suggesting that the BBC can use the money from a phone vote to pay for a National Final... but how much do these phone votes around Eurovision actually make the BBC?

Who'd like some numbers and reasoning?

If the smaller programming budgets at the BBC may prevent a 'Song for Europe' style show to select the UK's Eurovision 2013 song, "why not use the money from the phone vote to pay for the National Final?" Time to break out the ESC Insight calculators to see if this really is an option.

ESC Insight: Can Phone Votes Cover The Cost Of The BBC’s National Final?

Ewan. The BBC cannot make a profit from phone votes. It is against their charter. So that's a non-starter.

[ewanspence]

Originally Posted by Quizmike

Ewan. The BBC cannot make a profit from phone votes. It is against their charter. So that's a non-starter.

Indeed they cannot make a "profit" but they can feed income back into program creation.

[phill363]

Does the sale of tickets cover the cost of melfest?

Maybe that would be the right way to do it.

[penguinperson]

Originally Posted by phill363

Does the sale of tickets cover the cost of melfest?

Maybe that would be the right way to do it.

Aren't all audience tickets free?

[phill363]

Originally Posted by penguinperson

Aren't all audience tickets free?

Usually in the country anyway, but in Sweden you have to buy tickets for melfest, probably covers or off sets the cost of such a massive arena tour.

[EuroChris]

I don't think the BBC are allowed to use money from televoting to be absorbed into programme budgets.

In anycase, the mediocre ratings for British NF's with an even lower number of televotes cast and a small televoting cost means it wouldn't make a difference to the overall budget. A national final would cost anything between £275k-£600k (if it was a one off show).

[globbits]

Originally Posted by EuroChris

I don't think the BBC are allowed to use money from televoting to be absorbed into programme budgets.

They're definitely not. Unless it is for a charity event (i.e. Children In Need), the only thing the BBC can use the money for is the cost of the phone lines themselves.

[Quizmike]

Originally Posted by ewanspence

Indeed they cannot make a "profit" but they can feed income back into program creation.

They can't. Phone vote income is only allowed to cover the cost of managing the phone vote. Even tagging a charitable donation on is dodgy...

When Strictly started, they used to put a 10p donation on each phone vote for the Fame Academy Foundation (or something similar). People complained that they wanted to vote but did not want to be forced into making a donation. Therefore the donation part was dropped and this continues unless it is a tie in for a specific charity (ie Let's Dance for Comic Relief)

For commercial TV, it is of course completely different.

EDIT - Globbits beat me to it!

[EuroChris]

In reality, the BBC can easily afford to do a national final, even if it is a one-off. BBC1 alone has an annual budget of over £1bln, one of the biggest channel budgets in all of Europe.

I think the BBC are best staying with internal selections because they have created more column inches and hype than any British NF ever did. National finals have never really been a big part of the Eurovision season in this country anyway.

A one artist NF would be nice though.

[ewanspence]

Chris, agreed if the BBC had a single pot of money, but it's split up into departmental budgets, so its not like every show gets dibs on the big pool of money, it's a bit more complicated than that. And a bean counter could argue with huge viewing figures, the ESC final is already superb value for money and any extra money spent on it will not significantly increase the return. Isn;t the BBC on a licence fee freeze?

Agreed on internal selections, and if it comes to a one artist NF (via the One Show?) my money would be on Dreams Can Learn To Fly ;-)

[penguinperson]

Originally Posted by ewanspence

Chris, agreed if the BBC had a single pot of money, but it's split up into departmental budgets, so its not like every show gets dibs on the big pool of money, it's a bit more complicated than that. And a bean counter could argue with huge viewing figures, the ESC final is already superb value for money and any extra money spent on it will not significantly increase the return. Isn;t the BBC on a licence fee freeze?

Agreed on internal selections, and if it comes to a one artist NF (via the One Show?) my money would be on Dreams Can Learn To Fly ;-)

Kimberley's song I doubt it the BBC would demand exclusivety on an act like her.