The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have announced that Bakel Walden will be taking over as the Chair of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group.
The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group is the body that oversees the Eurovision Song Contest, and in particular it’s format and rules. It is made up of an ever changing amalgamation of recent Executive Producers, elected Head of Delegations and other invited members. One person that is fixed, however, is the Chair, who since 2009 has been Dr Frank-Dieter Freiling. He chose to step down following Liverpool 2023 and the EBU’s Television Committee have today elected Bakel Walden as his replacement.
Bakel Walden was the Director of Development and Offering at SSR SRG, Switzerland’s broadcaster, however, across his career he has worked with a number of broadcasters including RTL, Alpha TV, and SRF.
I am honoured to have been chosen as the new Chair of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group. The Eurovision Song Contest is an iconic event that has been bringing people together for nearly seven decades, and I am excited to join the group at a time when the Contest has never been more popular and impactful. I look forward to working with the Reference Group’s members and stakeholders to advance and expand this unique event in an increasingly digital media landscape, while ensuring that the competition continues to be a celebration of music and diversity that unites the world.
Bakel Walden, Chair of the ESC Reference Group
Walden will now have a very significant say in the future of the Eurovision Song Contest. Any future rule or format change proposed for the contest will go through the Reference Group and they will vote on whether or not the implement it. Possible examples could include a change in the voting system or a change in 21:00 CET start time. While Walden doesn’t have any more voting power than his fellow members, his position as Chair will have significant say in the outcome of these decisions.
As for the rest of the Reference Group, two new members have been announced. Ebba Adielsson (SVT) and Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE).
Sietse Bakker (NPO), Yuval Cohen (KAN), Astrid Dutrenit (NPO) and David Tserunyan (AMPTV) their term expire and have now left. The current list of members is:
- Ebba Adielsson (SVT, Sweden)
- Rachel Ashdown (BBC, United Kingdom)
- Felix Bergsson (RÚV, Iceland)
- Ana Maria Bordas (RTVE, Spain)
- Carla Bugalho (RTP, Portugal)
- Claudio Fasulo (RAI, Italy)
- Simona Martorelli (RAI, Italy)
- Alexandra Wolfslast (NDR, Germany)
- Martin Österdahl (EBU)
The Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group had their first meeting of the 2024 season today, with Walden chairing for the first time.
