Australia’s love for Eurovision grew out of successive waves of European migration to Australia, just as Australia's post-war immigration boom led to the creation of SBS as the multicultural and multilingual public broadcaster it is today.
Migrant communities were the primary audience when SBS first broadcast the competition in 1983. Australia’s engagement with the contest grew as Aussie artists like Olivia Newton-John and Gina G competed for other nations, and as SBS began sending a commentary team to cover the competition.
Australia wanted to be part of that party and by putting our own commentary on it, it was saying that this is not just something we’re watching, this is something we interact with as Australians.Associate Professor Jess Carniel
Australia’s early presence at Eurovision amused organisers of the contest.
Australia was a complete oddity and the fact that we were from the other side of the world was like ‘What are you doing here?’Paul Clarke, Blink TV
With some behind-the-scenes lobbying, Australia got the chance to have Jessica Mauboy perform on stage as an interval act. Her incredible performance laid the foundations for Australia to later join as a competition entrant.
In this episode, we talk to Eurovision academic Associate Professor Jess Carniel from the University of Southern Queensland and Paul Clarke from Blink TV, the production company behind Eurovision broadcasts on SBS.
Credits
Why is Australia in Eurovision? is hosted by Mike Jones and Dale Roberts with additional sound mixing by Max Gosford.
