Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest

Infobox Eurovision country
Name = Azerbaijan

---

Member station = İctimai Televiziya (İTV)
National selection event =
ESC apps = 1
ESC first = 2008
ESC best = 8th
ESC worst = 8th
Website = [http://www.eurovision.az Eurovision.az]
EBU page = http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=67&country=37

Azerbaijan made its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008, after İctimai Televiziya (İTV) became an active member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). İTV have been broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest in previous years, purchasing broadcasting rights from the EBU.

Previously, another broadcaster, AzTV, wanted to participate in 2007, but EBU rules did not allow this as AzTV was not an active member of the EBU. AzTV were denied active EBU membership on 18 June 2007, as they were considered too connected to the Azerbaijani government. [cite news|url=http://esctoday.com/news/read/8853|title=Azerbaijan not joining after all|publisher=ESCToday|author=Kuipers, Michael|date=2007-06-18|accessdate=2007-06-18]

However on 5 July, İTV became a full EBU member [ [http://esckaz.com/2007/ News Eurovision Finland 2007 Новости Евровидения 2007 Финляндия ] ] and on October 15 were given permission to take part by the EBU. [ [http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=1194 Eurovision Song Contest | Belgrade (Serbia) 2008 - Articles ] ]

Azerbaijan is the last country in the Caucasus to participate: Armenia was the first one, in 2006, followed by Georgia in 2007. Azerbaijan qualified for the final from the first semi-final and came 8th with 132 points.

In 2006, Azerbaijani mass-media complained that the official website of Eurovision song contest showed the first Armenian representative André's place of birth as Nagorno-Karabakh, despite the latter being de jure part of Azerbaijan. As a result, the place of birth section was removed from the singer's profile. [ru icon [http://www.day.az/news/showbiz/43927.html Abulfaz Garayev: Eurovision Governing Body Fixed Error on Website] ]

Contestants

References

External links

* [http://www.eurovision.az Eurovision Azərbaycan]
* [http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/6715 Esctoday.com news about Azerbaijan]
* [http://www.esckaz.com/2007 ESCKaz news about Azerbaijan]
* [http://www.today.az/news/society/25434.html Azeri plans for Eurovision]