France in the Eurovision Song Contest

Infobox Eurovision country
Name = France

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Member station = RTF (1956-1984)
OFRT (1965-1974)
TF1 (1975-1981)
France Télévisions (1983-)
National selection event = L'Eurovision
ESC apps = 51
ESC first = 1956
ESC best = 1st, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1969, 1977
ESC worst = 2nd last, 1966, 1973, 1998, 2005, 2007
Website = [http://programmes.france3.fr/eurovision/index.php?page=article&numsite=65&id_article=101&id_rubrique=83 France 3 page]
EBU page = http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=67&country=2

France's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest began as one of the seven countries to compete in the inaugural contest held in 1956. Since then, the country has participated in every edition of the annual contest, except for two, 1974 and 1982.

France has gone through a number of broadcasters that presented Eurovision to the French. From 1956 to 1964 Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (RTF) was the French broadcaster. ORTF (Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision Française) took over from RTF in 1965, and showed Eurovision until 1973. TF1 took over from ORTF from 1975 to 1981, when they withdrew. France Télévisions took over from TF1 in 1983 and is the current french broadcaster.

With the introduction of the semi-final in 2004 France 4 (part of France Télévisions) presents the Eurovision Song Contest semi-final, with France 3 continuing to organise a national selection for the participant song and present the Eurovision Song Contest final.

Absences

Since their debut in 1956 France has only missed two contest, in 1974 and 1982. In 1974, after selecting a singer and song to represent them at the contest, France withdrew after the President of France Georges Pompidou died in the week of the contest. [ [http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=66&event=290 History - Eurovision Song Contest 1974] "Eurovision.tv"] In 1982, TF1 declined to enter the Eurovision Song Contest, calling it "A monument to drivel - a mediocrity" after Bucks Fizz won the 1981 contest. France Télévisions took over the job due to public reaction of TF1's withdraw, hosting a national final to select their entry as well, from the 1983 contest.

Recent history

In the past 10 years, France has experienced a severe decline in terms of performance in the Eurovision Song Contest and the country has had a series of humiliating results: 19th (1996), 24th (1998), 19th (1999), 23rd (2000), 18th (2003), 23rd (2005) and 22nd (2006 & 2007). However, France's second-best result to date (apart from winning) was in 2001 when the country ranked 4th with famed Canadian singer Natasha St-Pier and was followed in 2002 with Sandrine François who ranked 5th.

Contestants

Since the introduction of the televote in 1998, France has frequently awarded relatively high marks to Turkey, Portugal, Israel, and now, Armenia; countries with large diasporas in France:

*1998 : Israel - 12 points; Portugal - 10 points
*1999 : Portugal - 12 points (the only points for Portugal) ; Israel - 10 points
*2000 : Turkey - 12 points ; Israel - 6 points (ending with 7 points)
*2001 : Portugal - 12 points; Israel - 10 points
*2002 : Israel - 10 points; Turkey - 7 points
*2003 : Turkey - 10 points
*2004 : Turkey - 12 points
*2005 : Turkey - 12 points; Israel - 10 points
*2006 : Turkey - 12 points; Armenia - 10 points; Israel - 4 points (the only points for Israel)
*2007 : Turkey - 12 points; Armenia - 10 points
*2008 : Armenia - 12 points; Turkey - 10 points; Portugal - 8 points; Israel - 6 points

Hostings

References

External links

* [http://www.eurovision.tv/ www.eurovision.tv] "(official)"
* [http://www.eurovision-fr.net/ French Eurovision site] "(unofficial)"
* [http://www.eurovision-info.net/ French website] "(unofficial)"