5 ms·

Is the Eurovision song contest rigged? An investigation using simple data visualisation.

9 points by hermitcrab 18y ago

A simple visualisation technique is used to investigate allegations of bloc voting in the Eurovision song contest.

baltoo 18y ago
Or countries close to each other simply have more in common with each other culturally. This would result in something looking like "bloc voting" as well. Does anyone even think it's possible to determine a songs "rating" objectively?
aquarin 18y ago
There are lot of immigrants from Balkans in Germany, France, Spain, UK, etc. and they vote for the countries of they origin.
jsmcgd 18y ago
I'm sad to see the Eurovision song contest mentioned here, not because I don't think this post has a place on HN because now our terrible secret has been revealed.
- petercooper 18y ago
  I'm glad actually. I've always thought a US-based "States Song Contest" would be really cool. 50 states, do it just like the Eurovision. I'm sure Simon Cowell could rig it up and make millions on the idea.
jan_g 18y ago
Rigged ? I don't think that anyone is meddling with tele-voting. However, it is true that some people vote accordingly to nationality more than to song quality. The principle is the same as in politics, where people are more likely to support someone from their state, regardless of his/hers views. Nothing new here, move on. And, if I understand eurovision voting correctly, at least top 5 songs need many more points than just those of neighbouring countries.
axod 18y ago
It's blatently obvious that it's not about songs. It's just about which countries like other countries. Particularly all the Eastern countries vote for each other. Most of the votes could be and were predicted by Terry Wogan. The best reason to keep the Eurovision though is as a stark warning to what would happen if the UK integrates any further with Europe.
- teamonkey 18y ago
  >The best reason to keep the Eurovision though is as a stark warning to what would happen if the UK integrates any further with Europe. We run the risk of winning and have to host the thing?
  - axod 18y ago
    Politically, if we hand over more power to europe, we will end up being outvoted on everything by the Eastern European countries, who are numerous, and tend to stick together.
- michael_dorfman 18y ago
  Of course, it's not only about the songs. That would be a gross simplification. However, it's also a gross simplification to say it's just about which countries like other countries. For example: I'm writing this from Norway, which finished (they tell me) the best of all Western European countries. Now, Terry Wogan would argue that this is because of "Scandinavian Bloc" voting, but the fact of the matter is that you could remove the points given to Norway by Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, and give them to England, and Norway would still be far ahead of England in terms of points. In fact, England is a great example of how Wogan's theory breaks down-- of 43 countries voting, only 2 chose England's song to be in the top 10 of 25 options. Every single country involved liked some one or more Eastern European song better than England's, independent of geographical location or political alliance. So, let's not pretend it's all political-- some of it actually appears to relate to the music.
  - axod 18y ago
mark_ellul 18y ago
No, its definately rigged, and I doubt the votes are taken from the user sms... Because I have been watching Eurovision for about 10 years now, before people voted at home... and which country votes for which has not changed... It was news here in Spain that Franco (the dictator) bribed another country to vote for spain's entry one year... which happen to be the year that Cliff Richard almost won... So basically the way I see it as is political voting... which a music competition tacked on...
albertcardona 18y ago
Sounds like a problem for the Stephen D Levitt -like people of our world.
herdrick 18y ago
That map is almost good. If it showed the directions of its edges it'd be great. This post makes me happy. For one thing, it's the best possible post to bring out the news.YC euros.

9 points by hermitcrab 18y ago

A simple visualisation technique is used to investigate allegations of bloc voting in the Eurovision song contest.

Or countries close to each other simply have more in common with each other culturally. This would result in something looking like "bloc voting" as well. Does anyone even think it's possible to determine a songs "rating" objectively?

aquarin 18y ago

There are lot of immigrants from Balkans in Germany, France, Spain, UK, etc. and they vote for the countries of they origin.

jsmcgd 18y ago

I'm sad to see the Eurovision song contest mentioned here, not because I don't think this post has a place on HN because now our terrible secret has been revealed.

petercooper 18y ago
I'm glad actually. I've always thought a US-based "States Song Contest" would be really cool. 50 states, do it just like the Eurovision. I'm sure Simon Cowell could rig it up and make millions on the idea.

jan_g 18y ago

Rigged ? I don't think that anyone is meddling with tele-voting. However, it is true that some people vote accordingly to nationality more than to song quality. The principle is the same as in politics, where people are more likely to support someone from their state, regardless of his/hers views. Nothing new here, move on. And, if I understand eurovision voting correctly, at least top 5 songs need many more points than just those of neighbouring countries.

axod 18y ago

It's blatently obvious that it's not about songs. It's just about which countries like other countries. Particularly all the Eastern countries vote for each other. Most of the votes could be and were predicted by Terry Wogan. The best reason to keep the Eurovision though is as a stark warning to what would happen if the UK integrates any further with Europe.

teamonkey 18y ago
>The best reason to keep the Eurovision though is as a stark warning to what would happen if the UK integrates any further with Europe. We run the risk of winning and have to host the thing?
- axod 18y ago
  Politically, if we hand over more power to europe, we will end up being outvoted on everything by the Eastern European countries, who are numerous, and tend to stick together.
michael_dorfman 18y ago
Of course, it's not only about the songs. That would be a gross simplification. However, it's also a gross simplification to say it's just about which countries like other countries. For example: I'm writing this from Norway, which finished (they tell me) the best of all Western European countries. Now, Terry Wogan would argue that this is because of "Scandinavian Bloc" voting, but the fact of the matter is that you could remove the points given to Norway by Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, and give them to England, and Norway would still be far ahead of England in terms of points. In fact, England is a great example of how Wogan's theory breaks down-- of 43 countries voting, only 2 chose England's song to be in the top 10 of 25 options. Every single country involved liked some one or more Eastern European song better than England's, independent of geographical location or political alliance. So, let's not pretend it's all political-- some of it actually appears to relate to the music.
- axod 18y ago

mark_ellul 18y ago

No, its definately rigged, and I doubt the votes are taken from the user sms... Because I have been watching Eurovision for about 10 years now, before people voted at home... and which country votes for which has not changed... It was news here in Spain that Franco (the dictator) bribed another country to vote for spain's entry one year... which happen to be the year that Cliff Richard almost won... So basically the way I see it as is political voting... which a music competition tacked on...

albertcardona 18y ago

Sounds like a problem for the Stephen D Levitt -like people of our world.

herdrick 18y ago

That map is almost good. If it showed the directions of its edges it'd be great. This post makes me happy. For one thing, it's the best possible post to bring out the news.YC euros.