Ukraine: Vidbir 2019 to be the country’s national selection for Tel Aviv
The Ukrainian national broadcaster, UA: PBC, announced today that its collaboration with STB will continue in this year’s quest for the next Eurovsion representative.
UA: Η PBC and STB have signed a three year contract (until 2021) for this objective. Ruslan Kvinta will continue as the show’s music producer while host for one more year will be Serhiy Prytula. STB will be responsible for the whole cost of hosting the national selection for 2019. Additionally , it took the initiative to support financially the next Ukrainian Eurovision representative.
The Ukrainian national selection, Vidbir 2019, will consist of three shows which are all scheduled to take place in February 2019. Specifically the confirmed dates of the show are the following:
09/02/2019: 1st semi final
16/02/2019: 2nd semi final
23/02/2019: Final
The 2019 Ukrainian ESC entry and hopeful will be determined via public/jury deliberation.
Mr. Zurab Alasania (UA:PBC CEO) says:
Taking into account the experience of previous years, we are happy to continue our cooperation with STB, as they are confident that Ukraine will be represented in the best way, young artists will receive a rating platform, spectators will be satisfied with high-quality shows, and voting for a representative of Ukraine will be honest and open.
The youngest European public broadcaster is currently in a state of transformation and under conditions of 50% underfunding, we believe that our cooperation with the commercial channel STB is economically feasible for the Eurovision project: we can’t produce such a high quality show on our own.
THE EUROVISION STORY SO FAR
Ukraine debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 with Oleksandr Ponormayov‘s Hasta la vista, and has won the competition twice in 2004 (Ruslana) and 2016 (Jamala). The country has hosted the contest twice in its majestic capital Kyiv in 2005 and 2017.
Ukraine is one of the most successful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest and has so far not missed out competing in the Grand Final while has been abcent only the 2015 edition. The country has made it 9 times in the top 10 during its 15 years of ESC participations, including 2 victories ( 2004, 2016), 2 2nd placings (2007, 2008), 1 3rd placing (2013) and 4th placing (2011).
In 2018 Ukraine was represented by Vidbir 2018 winner, Melovin with his entry Under the ladder, achieving a 17th place in the Grand Final.
