Attention one, attention all. It’s Eurovision week. This is not a drill. With the first semi-final only hours away, I thought I’d compile all the information in one handy place. So if you’re unsure how to vote, when the show is on, and how to watch it, keep reading!
How to watch Eurovision 2017
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Watch via SBS
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Watch via Eurovision.tv
When can you watch Eurovision?
There are two options for Aussies, and whichever you choose is up to whether you want to vote or not! Also, whether you want to wake up super early in the morning or not! Of course, if you’re like me, you’ll watch the competition live and then again during the repeats over the weekend!
If you want to vote: You will need to watch the show live. What does this mean for you? Well, if you’re not a morning person, this may not be an option for you. Unfortunately due to time differences, the show will be broadcast at 5am AEST.
Due to the nature of voting, it has to be done live, which is why if you’re dedicated, you will have to be up nice and early. In Europe, the Semi Finals are on Tuesday and Thursday, which will translate to 5am on Wednesday and Friday. The final is on Saturday night in Europe, which means 5am Sunday for us.
Summary:
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Wednesday May 10h – 5am AEST
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Friday May 12nd – 5am AEST
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Sunday May 14th – 5am AEST
If you don’t want to vote: This is a bit simpler. SBS will be broadcasting repeats of the show in their usual manner – that being, first semi-final on Friday night, Second on Saturday night, and then the final on Sunday night. If you’re not too concerned about finding out who wins, this is perfectly fine. As a warning though, if you would not like to know who wins, most Australian news broadcasts announce who wins, so try to avoid television, radio and social media (but if you’re that dedicated, you’re more likely to be up for the live shows). The shows will be on at 7:30pm on all of these nights. The semi-finals last for 2 hours each, and the final goes for 4 hours.
Summary:
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Friday May 12nd – 7:30pm SBS One
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Saturday May 13rd – 7:30pm SBS One
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Sunday May 14th – 7:30pm SBS One
SBS will be streaming the live shows as well as the primetime broadcasts through SBS on Demand at the same times mentioned above.
How do you vote?
After all the songs are presented, voters will have 15 minutes to get their votes in for the favourite song or songs, although as Australians we cannot vote for Australia. We will be allowed to vote in the first semi-final, of which our entrant Isaiah is performing in, as well as the Grand Final.
Voting numbers will be shown throughout the show, so if you see a song you like, take note of the number so during that 15 minutes, you can quickly send those messages through to ensure your favourite gets a vote.
Otherwise, we’ve got the phone numbers here:
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Phone – 1902 55 81 (plus the code of your favourite act)
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1991 3773 (Text the number of your favourite act to this number)
You can vote up to 20 times from the one phone, and it’s important to note you won’t receive a confirmation message if you use the text function.
Key Points:
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If you want to vote, set your alarm for 5am
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Follow the prompts on the screen to vote
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You can watch the show via SBS or Eurovision.tv online
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Televoting accounts for 50% of the overall vote, the other 50% is made up of jury votes