Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest

History

1961–1991: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Yugoslav Radio Television (JRT) was a founding member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in 1950 and therefore eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, representing the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia), since the first contest in 1956. However, despite joining the Eurovision network in 1956, JRT didn't broadcast the contest until it debuted in 1961.

Yugoslavia's first stretch of participations from 1961 until 1976 were mostly unsuccessful, with only one top five placing – fourth in 1962 – which would remain its best result until 1983. It also got its only last place in 1964. From 1969 until 1976, it consistently placed outside the top ten – with the exception of a ninth place in 1972 – ultimately coming second to last in 1976.

After a meeting on 4 July 1976, JRT announced its withdrawal from the 1977 contest, citing its low results. Its withdrawal continued into 1978 but JRT held a referendum among the readers of its RTV magazines on if it should return at the 1979 contest. Over 100,000 people voted in favour of returning to the contest, against just over 2,000 votes for staying out of the contest. However, JRT did not return in 1979 as the broadcaster and all its sub-national stations unanimously agreed against participating in Jerusalem – the host city that year – as they believed it to be illegally occupied and Yugoslavia did not have diplomatic relations with Israel at the time. JRT also did not broadcast the contest, despite doing so in 1977 and 1978. It did not participate in, or broadcast, the 1980 contest either for unknown reasons.

JRT returned to the contest in 1981 and participated four more times before withdrawing again. It continued to place outside the top ten in this period with the exception of 1983, where it matched its previous best result of fourth from 1962. After withdrawing in 1985, due to the contest colliding with a national holiday, it returned in 1986. It saw more success after its return, once again getting fourth place in 1987, followed by a sixth place in 1988.

As Yugoslavia won the with the song "Rock Me" by the group Riva, the took place in Zagreb, hosted by RTV Zagreb on behalf of JRT, as the entry came from them. JRT participated in 1991 for the last time representing SFR Yugoslavia.

1992: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

During the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, the former constituent republics of Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared secession and hence withdrew from the , while the then-leaderships of Serbia and Montenegro agreed to maintain a close alliance. On 28 March 1992, the broadcasters from the republics that still (at least formally) constituted the fading and shrunken former Yugoslav federation took part in the selection held in Belgrade. It included artists not only from Serbia and Montenegro, but also from Bosnia and Herzegovina, although the latter declared independence on 1 March of that year. Among its candidates was Alma Čardžić. The winner of that pre-selection was "Ljubim te pesmama" performed by Extra Nena (Snežana Berić) from Serbia. Before that year's contest took place, on 28 April, a new federal state was formed, consisting of Serbia and Montenegro and called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was represented by the previously mentioned "Ljubim te pesmama" by Extra Nena in the .

Only a few weeks after the 1992 contest, FR Yugoslavia was banned from participating in Eurovision due to UN sanctions during the Yugoslav Wars. However, the contest was still broadcast even under the sanctions except in 1999 due to the NATO bombing of RTS headquarters.

Successor states

Former JRT sub-national stations RTV Sarajevo in SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, RTV Zagreb in SR Croatia, RTV Skopje in SR Macedonia, and RTV Ljubljana in SR Slovenia became RTVBiH, HRT, MRT, and RTVSLO respectively in the new independent countries that emerged from the breakup of Yugoslavia, and were admitted into the EBU on 1 January 1993. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia made their debut in the , and North Macedonia made its debut in the , after having failed to progress from the qualifying round in the .

Former JRT stations RTV Titograd in SR Montenegro, and RTV Belgrade and RTV Novi Sad in SR Serbia, formed UJRT, the public broadcasting service of Serbia and Montenegro, which joined the EBU in 2001 and made its debut in the . Following the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, Montenegro and Serbia debuted as independent countries in the , after their respective broadcasters RTCG and RTS joined the EBU. The Kosovan broadcaster, RTK – the successor to RTV Pristina, JRT sub-national station in SAP Kosovo – has been attempting to become a full member of the EBU since 2009 but has been unsuccessful.

Participation overview

27 entries had represented Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest. 22 out of the 26 entries between 1961 and 1991 were in Serbo-Croatian and the rest in Slovenian. No entry from Macedonia or Kosovo ever made it to the contest, illustrating a cultural marginalisation of the poorest parts of the country.

Hostings

Related involvement

Conductors

Commentators and spokespersons

The contest has been also known to have aired on Yugoslav radio stations, including Radio Beograd 1 in 1961 and 1990, Radio Beograd 202 in 1992, Val 202 in 1961, 1986 and 1990 and Radio Zagreb 1 in 1990.

Notes

References

References

1. Bobon, Rainer. (2024). "The Event of the Century and the Invention of the Century: The Apollo 11 Broadcasts of Yugoslavian and Romanian Television as Reflected in the Press". Springer Fachmedien.
2. (17 May 1956). "Televizija v Jugoslaviji". [[Delo (newspaper).
3. (27 January 1977). "Monika Müller-Leibl v Nemškem Inštitutu". Družba za založniške pobude.
4. (March 1977). "Brez Jugoslavije". Slovenska izseljenska matica.
5. Bosnić, Olga. (5 July 1976). "Oba programa ravnopravna". Politika novine i magazini d.o.o..
6. Volčič, Mitja. (25 April 1978). "Kdo dobiva - kdo izgublja?". [[Delo (newspaper).
7. (28 March 1979). "Naša televizija ne bo prenašala »Pesmi evrovizije 1979«". [[Delo (newspaper).
8. (6 May 2005). "Eurovision Trivia: Did you know...". BBC News.
9. Klier, Marcus. (28 September 2007). "Interview with Extra Nena". ESCToday.
10. Deniz, Jose Miguel Galvan. (14 March 2005). "Eurovision shows political side". BBC News.
11. (2017-09-17). "Rock me baby! Looking back at Yugoslavia at Eurovision".
12. (2003). "Prime Time Crime: Balkan Media in War and Peace". U.S. Institute of Peace Press.
13. Roxburgh, Gordon. (2020). "Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest". Telos Publishing.
14. "Kosovo: RTK wants to enter Eurovision in 2009". oikotimes.com.
15. link. (29 March 2012 ''oikotimes.com'' 22 May 2008 Link accessed 27 May 2008)
16. RTV Klan Arkiv. (18 March 2020). "RTV Prishtina i rikthehet normalitetit (28 Qershor 1999)". [[TV Klan]].
17. Vuletic, Dean. (2019). "Eurovisions: Identity and the International Politics of the Eurovision Song Contest since 1956". Springer Nature.
18. "Zagreb 1990". [[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU).
19. (2012). "Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest". [[Telos Publishing]].
20. (2014). "Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest". [[Telos Publishing]].
21. (2016). "Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest". [[Telos Publishing]].
22. Roxburgh, Gordon. (2020). "Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest". [[Telos Publishing]].
23. (18 March 1961). "Радио Телевизија Београд". [[Borba (newspaper).
24. (5 May 1990). "Радио • Телевизија • Видео". [[Politika]].
25. (9 May 1992). "Радио • Телевизија • Видео". [[Politika]].
26. (18 March 1961). "RTV". [[Delo (newspaper).
27. (3 May 1986). "Radio danes". Delo.
28. (5 May 1990). "Spored za soboto". [[Delo (newspaper).
29. (5 May 1990). "rtv". [[Slobodna Dalmacija]].
30. Z. Kršlak. (28 March 1969). "Девети покушај ЈРТ". [[Politika]].
31. (27 February 2012). "Helga Vlahović: 1990 presenter has died". European Broadcasting Union.
32. (1987). "Novi fosili na Pesmi Evrovizije 1987: Neno šarmirao belgijsku kraljicu, Zec poljubio pitona u glavu". Radio TV revija.
33. (24 February 2018). "Vas zanima, kakšno vlogo igra Miša Molk na letošnji Emi?". [[Elle (magazine).
34. V. Đorđević. (6 May 1991). "Хрватска жали погинуле полицајце". [[Borba (newspaper).
35. (2007). "A Song for Europe: Popular Music and Politics in the Eurovision Song Contest". Ashgate Publishing.
36. (28 May 1993). "TV Petak". [[Borba (newspaper).
37. (30 April 1994). "TV Subota". [[Borba (newspaper).
38. (13 May 1995). "Televizió". [[Magyar Szó]].
39. (18–19 May 1996). "ТВ Субота". [[Borba (newspaper).
40. (3 May 1997). "TV szombat". [[Magyar Szó]].
41. (9 May 1998). "Tévéműsor". [[Magyar Szó]].
42. (19 May 2000). "ТВ Програм". [[Borba (newspaper).
43. (12 May 2001). "Eurovíziós Dalfesztivál a YU Infón". [[Magyar Szó]].
44. (25 May 2002). "Телевизија". [[Borba (newspaper).