Turkey to run in Eurovision song contest after three year break


After a three year break, Turkey has decided to run in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016.Turkish State-run broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) had previously withdrawn from Eurovision Song Contest to which Turkey had been attending since 1975, citing unjust voting. TRT released a written announcement in 2012 stating, "As a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) TRT's decision to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, is up to every broadcasting establishment's own initiative. Therefore, our establishment has made the decision not to participate in the 58th Eurovision Song Contest to be hosted by Sweden in 2013." Turkey has not attended the contest since then.But TRT administration and European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have reportedly begun holding talks about re-participation in the contest.A Turkish Daily reported on Friday that the talks had ended in the decision by TRT to run in the contest in 2016.Up until 2010, viewers determined the contest winners; however with the change in regulations made in 2011, viewers' influence was halved. The jury vote now accounts for 50 percent of the outcome in determining the contest winner. An additional element to the change in the voting system is the inclusion of the 'Big Five' rule, which allows the EBU's largest economic contributors, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy to automatically qualify for the finals. There has been speculation that the previously unsuccessful results of these countries may have prompted the change.