THE Eurovision Song Contest is one of the programmes being looked at under cutbacks being discussed by state broadcaster CyBC whose budget has been slashed by €2 million.
However the hugely popular programme is unlikely to face the axe due to its high ratings in Cyprus.
The CyBC board will be meeting next Tuesday to discuss how it will deal with the reduction in budget imposed by parliament. The broadcasting service had originally tabled a budget of €29 million but was rebuffed by parliament and given €27 million.
“At the meeting we will have to see which shows we will have to cancel and which organisations we might have to withdraw from,” Director-General of CyBC, Themis Themistocleous said. “One of those that we will examine is the Eurovision Song Contest of course, but due to its popularity and the fact that it brings with it income means it has the support of the board,” he said.
The Eurovision Song Contest, usually broadcast in May, draws income from sponsors and also from money generated by those voting by phone.
“People thoroughly enjoy the contest and it’s always number one in the ratings,” Themistocleous said. “We are always looking to reduce our costs because of the economic crisis and we try to minimise our costs when it comes to the contest by sending as few people as possible to the organising country,” he explained.
Other cost cutting measures include sharing the costs of recording the song with the singer and his or her record company.
“We will look at each programme one by one and make a decision but for now no decision has been made to cut any programme,” Chairman Makis Symeou told the Cyprus Mail.